Several users around the world may no longer enjoy internet browsing as much as before as the tech industry is moving ahead with a more sophisticated security model called the SHA-256. Several internet users from developing countries are expected to receive limitations in accessing websites in the internet.
The transition to a SHA-256 algorithm will be made in order to provide better security and privacy to users around the world especially with several sites getting hacked nowadays. However, as reported by Huffington Post, this new update will leave several users with limited websites to enjoy.
As reported by Latin Post, starting January 1, devices with an older encryption technology than the SHA-1 level encryption will no longer be for older models of smartphones as well as computers. Users with devices older than 5 years and carries an old software might have to purchase new ones as an error message will be flashed to sites that are not encrypted.
Although it is not expected to be much of a concern for users in Europe and America, CNBC reported that 5 percent of internet users from China, Cameroon, Yemen, Sudan, Egypt and Libya might have difficulties in surfing the web after the tech update.
"In other words, after Dec. 31, most of the encrypted Web will be cut off from the most vulnerable populations of Internet users who need encryption the most. And, unfortunately, if we're going to bring the next 2 billion Internet users online, a lot of them are going to be doing so on secondhand Android phones, so this problem isn't going away anytime soon." CloudFlare co-founder Matthew Prince said.
However, Facebook's chief security office Alex Stamos released his view stating that instead of limiting the experience of the users, tech experts must focus on making the internet browsinng safer for everybody. "investing in privacy and security solutions for these people, not making it harder for them to use the Internet safely.", he wrote.
This update is expected to affect millions of internet users around the world and could also influence on the sales of laptops and smartphone devices in the market.
