Browsing securely is critical these days, and one of the fundamental steps any user should take is checking whether the session has the appropriate encrypted links. Although there are several extensions to force HTTPS connections, it's possible that one or more components of a portal are not as secure as they appear. In an attempt to find out, Google activated an extended security panel within the developer tools in Chrome Canary.
The user must take on greater responsibility when browsing securely, and that's not a feeling: it's a fact. We've had enough with mass surveillance and uncontrolled collection of information (be it for commercial purposes, or in the name of "national security"), but now we also have to be careful with every mysterious link and every download button, since they can serve as a disguise for some kind of attack. The first recommendation from many sites is to try to visit sites with secure connections; however, not all of them offer it. In certain cases (such as information portals that don't handle user accounts or login systems), HTTPS isn't strictly necessary, but the Web is heading toward an encrypted future, with secure links even for the most basic content.
Security implementations on sites are the developer's responsibility, and for them, Google enabled an additional security panel in Chrome Canary. Unlike the classic padlock that appears next to the site's address, this panel provides information about the security of all links on the page, making it easier to know the protocol type and its version, the cipher, and of course, basic certificate details like issuance and expiration dates, or its authorized issuer.
The usefulness of the new security panel is definitely there, but we shouldn't fall into the trap of imagining it as a solution designed for the end user. As I said above, this was activated with developers in mind. Also, remember that this is Chrome Canary, and it can explode in our faces without any warning.
