Q: Why is Google Chrome giving me warnings about websites not being secure all of a sudden? Is my computer at risk?

A: The increased number of “Not Secure” messages you’re seeing is likely because of a recent Chrome update. Although it may have seemed like things changed overnight, Google has been on a steady march since 2016 to improve connection security for those using its Chrome browser.

But first, some background: Many sites still use the older Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to exchange information with a web browser — even though the data passed back and forth is visible to those who knew how to intercept it. In comparison, sites asking for sensitive data like credit card numbers generally use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) instead, as it encrypts, protects and authenticates communications between the website and the user’s browser.

Google is part of an increased security push to make these encrypted connections the default standard for websites. In 2017, the company updated Chrome to start labelling webpages with password and credit-card fields still using HTTP connections as “Not Secure” in order to raise awareness about data security.

Earlier this year, Google warned it would begin marking all sites not using HTTPS as “Not Secure.” The company began doing so on July 24 with an update to the Chrome browser — which has led to increased warnings when you visit a site using the older protocol.

Sites using HTTPS have received security certificates from trusted authorities to verify their identities, but the certificates themselves can have different validation levels, some of which are easier (and cheaper) to get than others. To stay safer online, make sure you know the company you are communicating with, and encrypt your own connection with a virtual private network and other tools to protect your data further.

Managing folders in Windows 10

Q: How do I create folders for saving specific incoming emails in Windows 10? How do I delete a folder when it is no longer needed?

A: If you are using the Mail for Windows 10 program that came with the system, you can set up a new folder in just a few steps. The program comes with its own set of default folders — like Inbox, Drafts, Sent, for starters — that you can’t delete. If you want to set up custom folders to store messages from a specific person or about a certain topic (like a home renovation project), you can add and delete those at will.

To get started, open the Mail program. If you have more than one email account set up within the app, choose the account you want to use and select the More option on the left side of the window to see the All Folders list. Click or tap the plus (+) icon next to All Folders to make a new folder for the account. You can also right-click on one of the existing folders to get the option to make a new sub-folder within it. Type in a label name for the folder and press the Enter key to add it.

You can then use this new folder to store the appropriate messages. When you no longer need the folder you created, go back to that mail account, and select the More option. Right-click on the folder you no longer need and select Delete from the drop-down menu.

_ New York Times News Service