Google Chrome to warn users before opening insecure HTTP sites
Google announced today that the Chrome web browser will ask for permission by default before connecting to public, insecure HTTP websites, beginning with Chrome 154 in October 2026.
Google Chrome also has an opt-in HTTPS-First Mode since 2021, which added the "Always Use Secure Connections" setting and attempts to connect to websites over HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure), displaying a bypassable warning if HTTPS is unavailable.
However, Google will now enable this option by default to ensure that users visit websites only via HTTPS and are always protected from man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks that try to snoop on or alter data exchanged with Internet servers over the unencrypted HTTP protocol.
"One year from now, with the release of Chrome 154 in October 2026, we will change the default settings of Chrome to enable 'Always Use Secure Connections.' This means Chrome will ask for the user's permission before the first access to any public site without HTTPS," the Chrome Security Team said.
"When links don't use HTTPS, an attacker can hijack the navigation and force Chrome users to load arbitrary, attacker-controlled resources, and expose the user to malware, targeted exploitation, or social engineering attacks."
As Google further explained, across all variants of the "Always Use Secure Connections" settings (targeting private or public websites), Chrome will not repeatedly warn the user about that site as long as the user regularly visits an insecure site. This means that rather than warn users about 1 out of 50 navigations, Chrome will only warn users when they open a new (or rarely visited) site that doesn't use HTTPS.
Additionally, users will have the option to enable insecure connection alerts for public sites only or for both public and private sites (including enterprise intranets).
It's important to note that while private sites can still be risky, they are generally considered less dangerous than public sites because there are fewer opportuni
