With the release of Chrome 117, scheduled for September 12, Google plans to modernize the browser interface and replace the secure data indicator shown in the address bar in the form of a padlock with a neutral βsettingsβ icon that does not evoke security associations. Connections established without encryption will continue to display the "not secure" indicator. The change emphasizes that security is now the default state, and only deviations and issues need to be flagged separately.
According to Google, the padlock icon is misinterpreted by some users who see it as a sign of a site's overall security and trust, rather than an indicator related to the use of traffic encryption. A survey conducted in 2021 showed that only 11% of users understand the purpose of the indicator with a lock. The situation with the misunderstanding of the purpose of the indicator is so deplorable that the FBI was forced to publish recommendations explaining that the lock icon symbol should not be interpreted as site security.
Currently, almost all sites have switched to using HTTPS (according to Google statistics, 95% of pages open in Chrome via HTTPS) and traffic encryption has become the norm, and not a hallmark that needs attention. In addition, malicious and phishing sites also use encryption, and displaying a padlock icon on them creates a false premise.
Replacing the icon will also make it more explicit that clicking on it brings up a menu that some users are unaware of. The icon at the beginning of the address bar will now be presented as a button for quick access to the main permission settings and parameters of the current site. The new interface is already available in experimental builds of Chrome Canary and can be activated via the "chrome://flags#chrome-refresh-2023" setting.
Source: opennet.ru