Virtual Atari

[AAA177]

I noticed a little while back that Chrome says the Virtual Atari site where you can play games conveniently in the browser is not secure, with the message planted in the upper left corner. When I search for the site, my mal-protection software flags the site as completely checked and fine. The warning on Chrome said information could be accessed. 

 

I've occasionally received such a warning on other approved sites (Edge doesn't say this on V Atari, but Edge also doesn't allow my mal-protection software to approve sites; Edge occasionally does do the not-secure thing as well on other sites). Just wondering if I have anything to worry about. I assume this may be a false alarm on Chrome's part? 

Edited October 5, 2019 by AAA177

[+Andrew Davie]

I thought it was simply that the site uses http:// instead of https://
In other words, data transferred between you and the site is not encrypted. That doesn't mean the website is fishy.

 

[AAA177]

Thanks for the response. I assume then I can continue to play safely? Not an expert on the web and all of that, but I do really enjoy the site whenever I get the urge to play some of the games...

[CapitanClassic]

Andrew Davie is correct. The HTTP protocol doesn’t encrypt the traffic between your browser and the web server., HTTPS does. It is vitally important that any website you enter PINs, credit card #s, Social Security #, usernames/passwords, etc. uses HTTPS (most browsers will show a padlock in the URL address bar), but when browsing a website or playing an Atari game, it isn’t vitally important that the traffic is encrypted. 

[DirtyHairy]

It is worthwhile to note that HTTPS does not only encrypt the traffic between browser and server, but it also makes sure that it is not tampered with (content manipulated or malicious content injected). Chrome started the game, but I think all major browsers are now moving towards declaring HTTP traffic as insecure. Anybody running a website should think about switching to HTTPS and settings up HTTP as a redirect to HTTPS.