What the Padlock Means

The padlock icon in your browser means the connection between you and the website is encrypted. Without HTTPS, anyone on the same network — a coffee shop's WiFi, your ISP, or a nearby attacker — can read everything you send and receive in plain text, including passwords and credit card numbers.

But the padlock only certifies encryption, not honesty — a phishing site can carry a valid padlock too. Treat it as a baseline, not a stamp of trust. Never enter sensitive information on a site without it, since that one habit prevents the most common form of data interception.