Acquiring and later installing a digital security solution is a tough call, but after installing it, handling configuration issues or any other error related to it is even tougher. This blog is all about SSL/TLS (Secure Socket Layers/Transport Layer Security) certificates and their essential contribution to securing the web.
Not only do they encrypt vital data to keep it secured from hackers, but they also serve as trust indicators for their users.
But these SSL certificates have a drawback. They display errors even after proper configuration on the server, which can be frustrating at times. One such error is the SSL Connection Chrome Error.
What is SSL Connection Chrome Error?
When the network traffic is compelled through https (hypertext transfer protocol secure), it will display SSL Connection Error. In short, when a user tries to access an unsecured site over HTTPS, they may face this browser error.
Chrome or other browsers will display a warning message stating “Proceed at your own risk” to its users.
Firstly, this means that the site the user is trying to access is not secured with a SSL certificate and hence is a risky site. Neglecting such warnings for accessing the desired site may damage your device and compromise your network.
Secondly, it may also be possible that the user-desired site has a valid SSL certificate installed on it but still displays the SSL connection error message due to any technical glitch. In short, there are a few causes that trigger this error.
A Few Causes that Display SSL Connection Errors are:
- Incorrect Date and Time
- Outdated Browser
- Expired/Outdated SSL Certificate
- Antivirus Software/Firewall Intervention
- Issues with the SSL Certificate
Resolving this SSL error is easy, and there are a few ways that can help resolve this SSL connection error.
- Tips to Fix SSL Connection Chrome Error in Windows 10:
- Incorrect Date & Time:
Correcting the date and time is the foremost option to resolve multiple SSL errors. Check the system date and time, and if incorrect, modify the same.
Steps:
- Right-click the date and time section at the bottom right-hand corner of your desktop and click “Adjust date/time.”
- In the “time and date” section, go to “Change time and date settings.”
- Enable the “Set time automatically” option to set the system time.
- Set the correct date, save the changes, and restart Chrome. Check for the error.
- Add Trusted Sites to the Security List:
When an SSL secured site website is blocked due to Chrome’s distrust, the website is bound to display the error.
In such cases, adding the desired site to the trusted sites can eliminate the error.
Steps:
- Press Win+R on the keyboard to view the Run command window.
- In the search bar, type “inetcpl. cpl” and press OK.
- The “Internet Properties” window will be displayed.
- Go to the “Security” tab > In the “select a zone to view or change security settings” field and select the “Trusted Sites” icon.
- Click on the “Sites” button.
- In the “Trusted Sites” popup > go to “Add this website to the zone” and type the site URL which is displaying the error.
- Later click “Add” and Close.
- Click Apply and OK to save the changes. Now restart Chrome and check if the site is being displayed in an error-free way or not.
- Temporary Fix:
This solution is risky and will eliminate the error temporarily.
Steps:
- Right-click on the Chrome icon > go to “Properties”> “Target” tab.
- Modify the Target tab by adding the text “-ignore certificate errors” without quotes.
- Click OK and check for the error.
Once the site is accessed, delete the added text from the Internet Properties window.
- Clear SSL State Cache:
Clearing the SSL State cache may fix the SSL connection error.
Steps:
- Press the Win+R key and type “inetcpl. cpl” in the Run window.
- Go to “Internet Properties”> Content > Clear SSL State.
- Restart Chrome and check if the error is fixed or not.
- Change to Enhanced Security Settings:
In the absence of an SSL certificate, Chrome is bound to pinpoint the website as an unsecured one and display the error message.
You can modify the privacy settings to fix this error.
Steps:
- Open Chrome by clicking the 3 dots on the upper right-hand corner and select “Settings”> “Security and Privacy”> go to “Security.”
- In the “Security Settings” window, navigate to the right and under “Safe Browsing”> select “Enhanced Protection.”
This will secure your device from unsecured sites/apps, malicious downloads, and other outdated extensions.
- Restart Chrome and check for the error.
- Change the Security Level to Medium:
When the internet security level is high, it may, at times, block websites, thus causing an error display. You can change this level to medium to fix the error.
Steps:
- Press Win+R and type “inetcpl. cpl” in the Run window. Click OK.
- The “Internet Properties” window will pop open. Go to the “Security” tab > go to the “Security level for this zone” field and move the slider to “Medium-high.”
- Click “Apply” and later “Ok” to save the changes.
- Restart your device and check if the error is fixed or not.
- Update Chrome:
Outdated Chrome may, at times, trigger errors, and hence it’s vital to always keep your browser updated.
Steps:
- Open the browser, and click the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of the window. Go to Help > click About Google Chrome.
- If there are any pending updates, the “Update Chrome” icon will be visible. Click that icon and update your browser.
- Wait for the update to finish and later click Relaunch.
If Chrome is already updated to its latest version, it will display a message stating, “Chrome is updated to its latest version.” So, go to the next solution for resolving the error.
- Clear Chrome Browsing Data, Cache & Cookies:
Many times, Chrome cache and cookies trigger SSL connection errors since they may be outdated or expired. This may prevent the user from accessing their desired site. Clearing them can fix the error.
Steps:
- Open Chrome > Go to the 3 dots in the upper right-hand corner of the window.
- Go to “Settings”> Open Chrome Settings > go to “Security and Privacy.”
- Click “Clear Browsing Data,” and in Time Range, select “All time” and tick all the options.
- Later select “Clear Data” and restart your browser. Check if the error is fixed or not.
- Update Windows:
Update Windows, too, if the error persists and check if the same is eliminated or not, even after the operating system is updated.
Disable Antivirus/Firewall (Risky Solution):
Antivirus software or firewall are digital security solutions that prevent cyber threats. But at times, they refrain/block sites and display errors to the users.
Disable these security solutions and check if you can view your desired site or not. After viewing the same, do not forget to enable them again for strong security.
Wrapping Up:
All the above-stated solutions not only help in eliminating the SSL connection error but also help in strengthening site security. If these solutions are implemented, security issues will be resolved, and the users can browse safely.
Different browsers display SSL connection error messages in different ways. Generally, the solutions to fix the error for varied browsers are the same. Implement them and have an error-free browsing experience.
