HTTPS: The green padlock that fools you and hackers love

You think the HTTPS lock protects you, but it's a false sense of security. Discover how cybercriminals use it to steal your data and how to truly protect yourself.

For years, you've been told: "Look for the padlock to know if a website is secure." That advice is outdated and dangerous. The truth is, hackers use that trust symbol to lure you into their traps. We'll explain why.

What Does the HTTPS Padlock Really Mean?

For years, the most common security recommendation for browsing the internet has been to look for the little green padlock and the acronym "HTTPS" in the browser's address bar. We were taught that this was the symbol of a secure website. However, this idea, although well-intentioned, has become dangerously misleading.

The truth is that HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) only guarantees one thing: that the connection between your device and the website's server is encrypted. This means that any data you send, such as passwords or credit card numbers, travels in encrypted form, preventing an intermediary—such as someone on the same public Wi-Fi network—from intercepting and reading it.

To better understand this, a simple analogy can be used: sending a letter in a sealed envelope. HTTPS encryption is the envelope. It ensures that no one can read the contents of the letter while it's in transit. However, it in no way guarantees that the recipient's address is legitimate or that the person receiving the letter is honest. You could be sending your most sensitive information in a perfectly sealed envelope to a scammer's den.

The Predator Strategy: How Attackers Use Your Trust

Cybercriminals are fully aware of this widespread perception and exploit it to their advantage. Nowadays, obtaining an SSL/TLS certificate, which activates the HTTPS lock, is a quick, inexpensive, and even free process. Attackers take advantage of this ease to install these certificates on their fraudulent websites, primarily dedicated to phishing.

They create near-perfect clones of banking websites, social media platforms, email services, or online stores. By including the HTTPS padlock, they create an appearance of trustworthiness that fools millions of users.

The psychological effect is immediate and devastating. A user receives an email that appears to be from their bank, clicks on the link, sees the green padlock, and assumes they're on a secure site. Without hesitation, they enter their username and password. At that moment, their credentials are stolen.

"For years, it's been said that if a website has an HTTPS lock, it's 'secure.' And yes, HTTPS guarantees that the connection [...] is encrypted, but that doesn't mean the website is legitimate or trustworthy."

Real Cases: When the Lock is the Bait

Examples of this type of scam are becoming more frequent and sophisticated.

* Classic Bank Phishing: A user receives an urgent SMS from their bank alerting them to unauthorized access to their account. The message includes a link to "verify your identity." The page it redirects to is an exact copy of the bank's website and, of course, has an HTTPS lock. The victim, pressured by the urgency, enters their details and loses control of their account.

* Malware Disguised as an AI Tool: A recent campaign leveraged the popularity of the DeepSeek artificial intelligence to distribute malware. The attackers created a fake website mimicking the official one, complete with an HTTPS lock, to trick users into downloading a supposed version of the tool. In reality, they were installing a Trojan designed to steal all their personal and financial information. This case demonstrates that even tech-savvy users can be fooled by the false appearance of security.

The Truth, Straight Up: How to Protect Yourself from the Truth

Blindly trusting the HTTPS lock is a mistake. True online security requires a more critical and proactive approach. Here are three key steps:

* Educate Your Eyes and Verify the URL: Before entering any information, it's crucial to inspect the web address (URL) in your browser bar. Fraudulent sites often use domains that look similar to the original but contain typos (e.g., banco-seguro.co instead of banco.com), misleading subdomains, or strange endings. Be wary of any URL that doesn't exactly match the official service.

* Use Protection Tools: Modern cybersecurity solutions go beyond simple antivirus. It's advisable to use software that includes DNS filtering, real-time domain reputation analysis, and endpoint protection that verifies the safety of links before you click on them.

* Apply Common Sense: Technology is one layer of protection, but human judgment is the most important. Always be wary of offers that seem too good to be true, messages that create a false sense of urgency, and any unexpected requests for sensitive information. The safest practice is to always manually type the website address into your browser instead of clicking on links received via email, text message, or messaging.

What was once a difficult-to-obtain indicator of trust is now another tool in the scammers' arsenal. Security no longer lies in a symbol, but in informed skepticism and constant verification.