It is important to make sure that the websites you view are safe. There are several ways to check this. One of them is to check the browser's address bar for a padlock symbol. But the browser may also display the message “Your connection is not secure.” If you ignore messages with this type of error, you are putting your online information at risk.
To help you stay safe online, we'll explain why the “Your connection is not secure” error might appear on your screen and how to fix it.
What does the “Your connection is not secure” error mean?
The error message “Your connection is not secure” indicates that the connection is not secure. This means that if you don't use antivirus or encryption, your device could become a goldmine for hackers.
To access a website, your browser must check the digital certificates installed on the server to ensure that the site complies with privacy standards and is safe for further use. If your browser detects something wrong with the certificate, it will try to prevent you from accessing that site. It is at this moment that you will see the message “Your connection is not secure.”
These certificates are also called public key infrastructure certificates or identity certificates. They provide evidence that the site you are opening is indeed the site it claims to be. Digital certificates help protect your personal information, passwords, and payment information.
When your connection is not secure, it is usually due to an error in the SSL certificate.
Other notes
All these steps will help the user understand how to remove an unsecured connection, or how to disable https in Google Chrome and other browsers, or what to do when these methods do not help. Warnings containing the letter combinations “ssl”, “err”, “error”, “protocol” always imply errors in the browser or OS. It’s even worse when this problem blocks access to payment systems, VKontakte, Odnoklassniki or Youtube accounts.
You need to solve a problem by understanding why it arose and how to solve it on a specific computer. It is necessary to take any means to solve the problem, otherwise it will later turn out that there was a virus on the computer, laptop or Android device and the user will not be able to connect to the Internet at all. This is the worst case scenario and it’s better not to let it get to that point.
Originally posted 2018-04-30 04:14:05.
What is an SSL connection error?
The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate is designed to serve websites over secure HTTPS connections. HTTPS is a security barrier used to securely authorize connections and protect data. An SSL connection error occurs when your browser does not have a secure way to open the requested site. When the browser sees that the connection is not secure, it will try to stop you from accessing that website.
There are several different reasons why an SSL connection error may occur:
- The certificate is missing or has expired
- Your browser is not updated
- Your antivirus or date and time settings are disabled
- server error
If the message is caused by an error on the server, then you will have to wait until the owner of this server corrects this error.
Check the versions of TLS protocols supported by your browser and site
Check which TLS/SSL protocol versions and encryption methods (Cipher Suite) are supported by your browser. To do this, simply open the web page https://clienttest.ssllabs.com:8443/ssltest/viewMyClient.html
The SSL Labs online service will return a list of protocols and encryption methods that your browser supports. For example, in my example, Chrome supports TLS 1.3 and TLS 1.2. All other protocols (TLS 1.1, TLS 1.0, SSL3 and SSL 2) are disabled.
Below is a list of supported encryption methods.
Cipher Suites (in order of preference)
- TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
- TLS_CHACHA20_POLY1305_SHA256
- TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
- TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
- TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
- TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_CHACHA20_POLY1305_SHA256
- TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_CHACHA20_POLY1305_SHA256
- TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
- TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
- TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
- TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
- TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
- TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
- TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
- TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
- TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
- TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
A complete list of encryption methods included in Windows can be displayed using PowerShell: Get-TlsCipherSuite | Format-Table -Property CipherSuite, Name
Next, check the list of TLS/SSL protocols that your site supports. To do this, use the online SSL testing service https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html?d=domain.ru (replace domain.ru with the address of the site you want to check).
Check if all versions of TLS/SSL supported by the site are available in your browser.
In this example, you can see that the site does not support TLS 3.1 and SSL3/2. Compare the Cipher Suite list similarly.
If the encryption method is not supported by your browser, you may need to enable it in Windows.
If the site does not support the SSL protocols that the client requires, then when connecting you will see the error “This site cannot provide a secure connection.”
How the “Your connection is not secure” error looks in different browsers
When you receive an error message like this, it will take you to a new page. Some browsers use simple messages, while others use codes and warning signs.
Google Chrome
When you receive this error message in Google Chrome, it will take you to a page called Privacy Error. On it, the browser will show a large red exclamation mark and the message “Your connection is not secure.” It will alert you that attackers may be trying to steal your passwords, messages, or credit cards. The message will give you the option to return to the previous page, go to additional settings, or try to continue using the site.
Additionally, the page will have an error code. Here are some of the most common:
- NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID
- NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID NTE::ERR_CERTIFICATE_TRANSPARENCY_REQUIRED
- NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID
- NET::ERR_CERT_WEAK_SIGNATURE_ALGORITHM
- ERR_CERT_SYMANTEC_LEGACY
- SSL certificate error
- ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH.
Mozilla Firefox
In Mozilla Firefox, this message looks similar, but sounds slightly different: “Your connection is not secure.” It tells you that the site owner has configured it incorrectly. You also have the option to go back or go to additional settings.
The most common error codes you may see in Firefox are:
- SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE
- SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_ISSUER_CERTIFICATE
- SEC_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ISSUER.
- SEC_ERROR_OCSP_INVALID_SIGNING_CERT
- MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_MITM_DETECTED
- MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_ADDITIONAL_POLICY_CONSTRAINT_FAILED
- SSL_ERROR_BAD_CERT_DOMAIN
- ERROR_SELF_SIGNED_CERT
Safari
If you are a Safari browser user, you will receive a message on a new page telling you that this connection is not secure and that the website you are opening may be impersonating the site you would like to access in order to steal your information. personal or financial information.
Microsoft Edge
If you're using Microsoft Edge, you'll see a message that looks almost identical to Google Chrome, with an exclamation point and the message “Your connection is not secure.” If the certificate does not match the domain you are trying to connect to, you will see the same code.
The most common error codes you may see in Microsoft Edge are:
- NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID
- DLG_FLAGS_INVALID_CA
- DLG_FLAGS_SEC_CERT_CN_INVALID
- Error Code: 0
Solving the problem is the main way
Now I’ll show you how to fix this error in the simplest way. So, you have this picture:
The connection is currently not secure. Click on the “Advanced” button:
And then follow the link “Go to the site...”:
The site will open without any problems and will work smoothly.
Try not to enter personal data and passwords on such a site - it is unsafe. Please wait until normal operation resumes! There is an option that the site was hacked and they want to take away all the passwords.
How to fix the “Your connection is not secure” error
There are several different ways to fix or work around this error message.
Reload the page
Of course, this seems like the simplest solution, but sometimes reloading the page can resolve crashes related to browser timeouts, Internet connections, etc. Try typing the site address again in the address bar of your browser (there may have been a typo earlier).
Try incognito mode
The next thing you can try is to enable incognito mode and try to access the same website. If a website truly has security issues, then it shouldn't work as soon as you switch to Incognito mode because this mode allows you to browse the site without saving history or cache. If the browser still says “Your connection is not secure,” then you should try clearing your cache.
To open a tab in incognito mode in the Chrome browser, click on the button with three dots in the upper right corner, then select “New window in incognito mode” from the drop-down menu (the same can be achieved by pressing Ctrl + Shift + N).
Check date and time
Double check that the date and time on your computer is correct. If they do not match the browser, an SSL connection error may occur.
How to Check Date and Time on Mac
1. Go to the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen
2. Click on System Preferences
3. Here select Date & Time
4. Check that the date and time are correct
Free VPN clients for Windows and other platforms
The main purpose of a VPN is to create closed communication channels to protect network traffic from leakage and outside access. However, this technology is also used to visit blocked Internet pages. Unlike anonymizers, which redirect the request to one site in the right direction, and browser extensions, which pass the traffic of one web browser through a proxy, VPN applications direct all network traffic of the computer into a closed channel.
Services for accessing VPN servers through a client program are usually paid (cost $1-50 per month depending on the channel bandwidth and the availability of additional options), but there are several free ones.
The best free VPN client for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and mobile platforms, according to the author, is CyberGhost 6. Here are its most significant advantages in comparison with analogues:
- There are no traffic volume restrictions. Most free applications of this format limit traffic to approximately 500 mb per month or for the entire period of use. If you need more, sign up for a paid subscription.
- Quite high connection speed. Most free VPNs reduce it to a minimum.
- Large selection of available servers around the globe. Many free analogues offer only one server, which is located somewhere in the USA and is constantly overloaded.
- Several pre-installed profiles for different tasks (only half are available without payment, but this is quite enough for most tasks).
- Can be used to access any type of web resource. Supports almost all types of traffic: video streaming, online games, social networks, etc., limits p2p.
- Easy to learn for beginners.
- Russified.
To get to a closed site using CyberGhost 6, just launch the program and select one of the available profiles.
When you select the anonymous surfing option (yellow tile), you just need to set the browser boot mode (normal or incognito) and specify the desired VPN server.
When choosing to unblock basic websites (blue tile), you just need to click on the corresponding icon.
CyberGhost 6 also has some disadvantages. This is a constant redirect to the purchase page for the paid version and the need to reconnect every 3 hours.
Other free VPN apps:
- Hotspot Shield - the only server in the USA available without payment. It works at low speed and frequent connection interruptions.
- SurfEasy VPN - limits traffic volume to 500 mb per month. The Windows version of the client is unstable.
- SoftEther VPN does not limit the volume and type of traffic, but is difficult to install and configure, and is also extremely unstable in operation.
- TunnelBear is very easy to use (one button), fast, stable, but with a traffic limit of up to 500 mb.
