A number of times, you might have come across an error notice while opening a web page. “There is a problem with this website’s security certificate“- this error mainly appears in Internet Explorer browser which will not enable you to open the webpage. Hence, today we will learn the reasons why this error occurs and the ways to fix it in the rest of the post.
Why does the “problem with website security certificate” occur?
This error appears due to the SSL certificate of that particular web page which is issued by a non-trusted Certification Authority of the client. It probably attempts to dupe you or interject the data you send to the server. So it is highly recommended to close such web pages and do not continue to the site. Or if you want to learn more about the website error then click on ‘More information’ in the certificate error button.
There is a problem with this website’s security certificate
The certificate errors might also occur if your computer date/time is set later than the expiry date of the web server’s SSL certificate.
How to fix the ‘security certificate error’?
To resolve this error, the host or owner of the website should purchase a certificate for each web server or maybe from a third-party provider. The owner can even install a Microsoft Enterprise certification in the Active Directory forest. Later, he can use this certification authority to create a certificate for each web page.
(1) Install Windows SBS to resolve ‘website security certificate’ error
Windows SBS or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 (https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=5334) is a self-signed certificate on the client computer. So to resolve the issue with Windows SBS, follow these steps:
- On the Internet Explorer page, click on ‘Continue to this site’ when the error message appears.
- A certificate warning message will appear in the red address bar.
- Click on the Certificate error button and open the information window.
- Click on View Certificates and click Install Certificate.
- A warning message will appear. Click ‘Yes’ to install the certificate.
In Windows Vista, you might need to enable Administrator rights while using IE or else you’ll not be able to install certificates. So run IE as administrator and the option the install certificates option will be available.
(2) Remove ‘SSL certificate’ error with third-party CA’s
A number of third-party Certification Authorities (CAs) (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn265983.aspx) are trusted by Microsoft whose root certificates are distributed through the Microsoft Root Certificate Program. This package will update the entire list of root certificates on Windows system which will enable adding or removing root certificates periodically. To force the computer to sync the Trusted Root Certificate List, a Microsoft Fix it program is also available there.
(3) Fix the system clock to remove website certification error
Still if ‘there are problems with the security certificate for this site’ error persists, then try fixing your system clock. If the date/time of your system is incorrect, then troubleshoot it by clicking on the Clock in the taskbar > Change the Date and Time setting. Your problem will be probably resolved.
(4) How to fix certificate error from address mismatch settings?
Another way to resolve the problem with website security certificate is to disable the address mismatch option. If you receive any message like “The security certificate presented by this website was issued for a different website’s address” then it might mean that the certificate has a name mismatch. So to fix this trouble follow these steps:
- Run Internet Explorer.
- Go to Tools > Internet Options.
- Click on the Advanced tab.
- Scroll down to the Security section and uncheck ‘Warn about certificate address mismatch’.
Change Settings
- Click Ok and Restart your PC.
Why is a server certificate important?
SSL certificate in a particular server is important because it secures your personal information and keep it protected. When you enter a website and use your credentials and password, the site ensures the safety of your details if it has https:// at the beginning of the URL.
Website security certificate
For example, an e-commerce store or a bank web page always stores your personal information as you log in to them. If you notice any of these web pages without https:// that means the data transferred in these pages are not encrypted. HTTPS or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure signifies that the web page is secured with a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). This keeps your data encrypted and maintains privacy and also, such websites are identifiable for what it claims to be.
If you miss this feature on a secure site then you ensure that you are on the wrong page or probably that website is fake. If you forcefully enter the site then you’ll be sending your data to the wrong network which might make you a victim of a malicious attack.
Google has mentioned a few web security codes for Google Chrome browser that depicts the meaning of every symbol you view in the browser.
Internet security certificate errors
As you can see the picture above, the green lock symbol depicts that you are into a secure connection, whereas the red symbol indicates that you are in the unsecured page. Similarly, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox also mentions the similar error messages of SSL certificates.
What to do if you see the internet security certificate error from a trusted site?
If you are a regular visitor to this site and still trust the working and better you first look for some details on the site’s downtime. The site might be temporarily down for some time and this information can be revealed from their official Twitter page. Visit the official Twitter page of that particular site and look if it has tweeted any downtime message to its users. If there’s no such update then it might be helpful to contact the website owner to make him aware of the SSL error.
So rather forcefully visiting a website certificate error page, it’s smarter to find some additional details about the error or notify the page administrator about the error. Because you might be trapped in a phishing page which would fetch all your personal information for you forcefully get into it. Take some time to learn about it if you really care about the web page.
I hope I made it clear what is “there is a problem with this website’s security certificate” problem and how to solve it.
Leave a Reply