It Isn't Required Already?

The U.S. government is mandating the use of the HTTPS security protocol on all of its public websites and web services by the end of 2016.

Deploying HTTPS will authenticate communications with government websites and encrypt the data sent back and forth, which will help protect against snooping and imposter websites.

The protocol, use of which is often signaled by a green lock icon in the address bar of a web browser, has been used for years by financial websites but has expanded significantly in recent years.

The expansion has been partly due to Edward Snowden's revelations about U.S. government spying and eavesdropping, so it's not without irony that the government itself is now deploying the technology.

The government's action should make it more difficult for third parties to intercept communications and make interacting with government sites more secure for all users.