The latest update to Yahoo’s increasingly popular search engine is the inclusion of secure search as the default option. All Yahoo search terms now pass through a secure server, which users can see by the changing URL, which should read “https:”, rather than the standard “http:” on all searches.
This change is a very welcome one for anyone who is more concerned about the security of their searches; with secure search enabled, Yahoo users can be certain that outside parties are not snooping on their searches. Currently the option has only been enabled on the American Yahoo search engine, and it is not certain yet whether secure search will become the search for other countries too.
The feature began to roll out as early as January 8th, which was the date when Yahoo promised to move to secure servers. It is likely that other Yahoo properties will also receive the update as a default. An additional update- and a one-up on competitors Google- is that Yahoo’s search results will not provide referrals to nonsecure websites.