Yahoo Mail Finally Enables HTTPS Option to Encrypt All Connections

Better late than never, Yahoo Mail is finally enabling users to switch to HTTPS for all the communications with the site. Gmail made HTTPS quite a while ago, Hotmail is doing the same.

Now, after suffering a rather embarrassing and potentially dangerous exploit last week, Yahoo has quietly enabled permanent HTTPS connections in Yahoo Mail.

The feature is opt in, users have to go to their Mail settings and enable it, just check the box next to "Turn on SSL." Yahoo hasn't made any announcement, the feature is here to stay.

The EFF, which has put pressure on Yahoo to roll out HTTPS for Mail, first spotted the change and, understandably, applauded Yahoo for making it.

Communications over HTTPS are fully encrypted. Previously, all of your emails would have been accessible to anyone between your computer and Yahoo's servers, including people sharing an open WiFi connection.