[Fix] SSL Error, Connection Not Secure or Invalid Security Certificate Problem With HTTPS Websites
Today we are going to address a very strange and annoying issue which occurs when you try to open a website using HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) protocol such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc.
The problem occurs in all web browsers whether it’s Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera or Microsoft Edge but the error messages and problem symptoms might differ in different web browsers.
Problem Symptom:
When you open a HTTPS website such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc in your favorite web browser, the website won’t open and you get error messages. The problem occurs with HTTPS websites only. HTTP websites open fine.
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When you try to open HTTPS websites in your web browser, following things happen:
In Google Chrome web browser:
The website doesn’t open and you see a red cross on padlock icon and a red line through the https:// text in the addressbar with following error message:
SSL Error
Cannot connect to the real www.facebook.com
Something is currently interfering with your secure connection to www.facebook.com.
Try to reload this page in a few minutes or after switching to a new network. If you have recently connected to a new Wi-Fi network, finish logging in before reloading.
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If you were to visit www.facebook.com right now, you might share private information with an attacker. To protect your privacy, Chrome will not load the page until it can establish a secure connection to the real www.facebook.com.
[Reload] [More]
In Mozilla Firefox web browser:
The website doesn’t open and you get following error message:
This Connection is Untrusted
You have asked Firefox to connect securely to www.facebook.com, but we can’t confirm that your connection is secure.
Normally, when you try to connect securely, sites will present trusted identification to prove that you are going to the right place. However, this site’s identity can’t be verified.
What Should I Do?
If you usually connect to this site without problems, this error could mean that someone is trying to impersonate the site, and you shouldn’t continue.
[Get me out of here!]
Technical Details
www.facebook.com uses an invalid security certificate.
The certificate will not be valid until 01 Mar 14 05:30 AM. The current time is 01 Dec 11 22:50 PM.
(Error code: sec_error_expired_certificate)
PS: In newer Firefox versions, you may receive “Secure connection failed“, “Your connection is not secure“, “Secure connection cannot be established“, “Warning: Potential Security Risk Ahead” and “Did Not Connect: Potential Security Issue” errors and warning messages.
Sometimes the website opens but without any formatting as shown in following screenshot:
In Internet Explorer web browser:
The website doesn’t open and you receive following error message:
There is a problem with this website’s security certificate.
The security certificate presented by this website has expired or is not yet valid.
Security certificate problems may indicate an attempt to fool you or intercept any data you send to the server.
We recommend that you close this webpage and do not continue to this website.
- Click here to close this webpage.
Continue to this website (not recommended).
More information
Sometimes the website opens but images and other graphics are not loaded as shown in following screenshot:
In Opera web browser:
The web browser shows following notification message in addressbar:
Invalid certificate
Opera cannot verify the identity of the server “www.facebook.com”, due to a certificate problem. The server could be trying to trick you. Would you like to continue to the server?
[Show certificate] [Continue Anyway] [Cancel]
When you click on “Continue Anyway” button, the website loads but without images and other graphics similar to Internet Explorer:
Similar things happen with other web browsers as well.
Problem Reason:
The reason behind this strange problem is incorrect date or time in your computer system. The reason seems quite strange but its true. If your computer’s date and time is not correct, you’ll face this strange problem.
Actually in many Desktop PCs when the CMOS battery is dead, BIOS settings are restored to defaults and the system date/time is also automatically restored to a very old one when your computer system was manufactured. When you start your computer, it asks you to press F8 key or other key to resume startup and many people do this without changing the CMOS battery. Since date and time of the computer system is not updated/corrected, users face this HTTPS website problem in their system.
Sometimes when you install new Windows or change computer hardware, the date and time is changed and if you don’t update the date/time, you face this problem.
So the bottom line is that if your computer’s date and time is not correct, you’ll face this problem.
Problem Solution 1:
The fix for this problem is very simple. You just need to correct your computer’s date and time using following steps:
1. Right-click on date and time shown in Taskbar notification area (aka System tray) and select “Adjust date/time” option.
2. It’ll open “Date and Time” window. Alternatively you can directly open it by using timedate.cpl command in RUN dialog box.
3. Now click on “Change date and time” button and correct date and time settings.
4. Apply the changes and now try to open the HTTPS websites again in your web browser. Now all websites will open without any problem.
Bonus Tip:
If you have a working Internet connection, you can click on “Internet Time” tab present in “Date and Time” window and then click on “Change settings” button, enable “Synchronize with an Internet time server” checkbox and click on “Update now” button. It’ll automatically correct the date and time of your computer system.
Problem Solution 2:
If the above mentioned solution doesn’t work for you, try to reset HOSTS file to default in your computer. Check out following tutorials to learn the method:
How to Reset Hosts File to Default in Windows?
Host Mechanic: Freeware to Edit, Delete or Restore Hosts File in Windows
You can also check out following exclusive video to watch the problem and its fix live in action:
NOTE: If the CMOS battery needs to be replaced in your computer system, ask a computer technician to change it (check point 13) otherwise you’ll need to correct date and time settings of your computer every time you turn it on.
Also Check:
[Fix] HTTPS Errors and Warning Messages on Secure Websites in Mozilla Firefox
[Fix] “This Connection is Untrusted” Problem with HTTPS Websites in Mozilla Firefox
Thank you so much. This problem was driving me nuts since a few days. Your solution worked like a charm. 😀
Thank for this, I initially thought it was a board problem not knowing it was just a DATE & TIME problem. Just like MAGIC
Thanks for given wonderfull explanation about that error thank you……
Thank you so much i really got trouble that i could not open my facebook due to red https now i open it because i read what you posted…
Thank you… your suggestion fixed the problem!
really a nice solution . thanks a lot ………………….
Thank you,thank you,
thank you…………….. Sir.
nice and clearly write this post i like it and try it my problem is resolved thanks AskVG.com
Sorry, but the time is correct on my Macbook and I still have the problem with Facebook. The date and time are set automatically and match the correct date and time for the timezone where I am. As far as I can tell, all other websites are working correctly.
I lost this page don’t know if it went through so I will repeat it again. I cannot use FF at all my 54 ver was updated by ff during the night without notifying me. I am on 56.01 now and can’t use any of the websites because there is “Insecure Connection” on everything the “Invalid security Certificate also is there. But not with Google Chrome or IE. I hate those and want my Firefox back. I have tried all solutions including deleting cookies and uninst/reinst of both ver FF. This is very frustrating as I am 65 disabled , on oxygen and want the use of my ff back. This is the only way to tell you this…..
Good day I hope you can help me I wrote to Facebook some letters no reply ,I got a problem getting in to Messenger into Comment and into Share I do not know if there is a problem on my side let me know please if the problem is on your side can you fix it and let me know thanks .regards Gus
My daughter who is still using XP has had no problems with facebook until today, there is no error message or anything else, the page is just blank and nothing loads or even looks like it’s trying to load. All other sites open fine, just this blank page for facebook. Using Firefox.
Any ideas? Obviously facebook is the most important website to her.
^^ Try to clear cache and cookies in Firefox.
https://www.askvg.com/tip-how-to-clear-delete-cache-and-cookies-in-your-web-browser/