How to fix ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH?

Errors associated with SSL are one of the most common problems encountered by Internet users. While an error message in a browser can be quite scary for beginners, this problem is quite easy to solve. In this article, we will help you fix the error message ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH quickly and effectively.

What is ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH?

Every time you try to connect to a website, your browser automatically checks the website’s SSL certificate. Verifying the certificate is a way to prove that the website you are accessing is genuine and has implemented the correct protocol to secure your connection.

When the protocol configured on the website server appears to be insecure, your browser will automatically display an error message, such as ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH.

This message is basically the browser’s way of protecting you from accessing unsafe websites.

Furthermore, the website you are trying to access may also be using an old version of a protocol that has some serious security holes that could compromise your device.

It is also important to note that the error message ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH it only appears when you try to access websites that use encryption SSL Y HTTPS to protect access to and sharing of information.

The website that uses these ciphers has a lock icon in the URL bar.

Also, it is worth mentioning that this problem is more likely to occur in Google Chrome and Internet Explorer.

Why does it appear in your browser?

the error message ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH It can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from the incompatibility of one or more SSL certificates with your device’s components, to problems with system security settings, such as firewalls and antivirus that are not configured correctly.

Another common cause of this error is the protocol QUICK ().

Also, other little things like old cookies and accumulated browser history can also interfere with connection security.

How to fix ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH error?

As we mentioned above, while the message seems complicated and a bit intimidating to a beginner, it is actually quite easy to fix as long as you know the correct methods to deal with it.

There are at least five effective methods that you can try to resolve the error ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH:

1. Check your SSL/TLS certificate

Verifying your SSL/TLS certificate can be a good place to start to fix the error ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH. If your TLS/SSL certificate is old or broken, you shouldn’t be surprised if you get lots of error messages every time you browse the internet.

To verify your SSL/TLS certificate, you can use .

This tool will rate your SSL connection and detect if there are any discrepancies on the server. It can also report if your SSL/TLS is old and needs an update.

Here is an example of an SSL report from using this amazing tool:

2. Enable TLS 1.3 support

TSL (Transport Layer Security) provides a secure connection between your browser and the web server. This layer is the direct successor to SSL technology.

If this feature is disabled, it could be the reason why your browser is rejecting certificates from some websites.

Fortunately, most modern browsers, like Google Chrome, are already equipped with TLS 1.3 by default.

However, if you have an older version of Chrome, you must follow these steps to enable TLS support for your browser:

1. Open Google Chrome
2. Type chrome://flags into Chrome’s URL bar, then press enter
3. now search TLS
4. Set TLS 1.3 support to Enable

However, please note that this will not be available in the latest version of Google Chrome.

For example, if you try these steps on version 80.0.3987.122 of Chrome, you will only find the “TLS 1.3 downgrade hardening» which serves to “harden” TLS 1.3 connections and provides downgrade compatibility for older TLS (set it to default).

3. Disable QUIC protocol

The QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections) protocol is an experimental project by Google that can send simple packets using the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) without a connection.

Although QUIC is known as an excellent alternative to other popular security solutions such as TCP, HTTP/2, and TLS/SSL, this protocol often causes a mixed content warning to appear, including ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH.

So, you may need to disable this protocol to resolve the SSL/certificate connection issue. Here are the steps to disable it in Google Chrome:

1. Open Chrome, then type chrome://flags in the URL bar and hit enter.
2. You will get to the experimental features page, look for QUICK.
3. Set the Experimental QUIC Protocol in disabled.
4. Done!

Note that there are other methods to disable the QUIC protocol, such as using the application control wave firewall policy. However, we do not recommend that you use it, as these methods require a bit of experience.

4. Clear your web history/cache

Web history and cache store data about the sites you have visited in the browser. The data can be text, images or files. The allows you to access web pages faster.

However, caching old caches is a bad habit, especially if the sites you have visited have already updated their system. If you don’t delete the cache for a long time, you could cause an SSL error and long-term security risks.

Therefore, clearing your device’s cache and restarting your browser is sometimes the best solution to resolve. ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH.

If you don’t resolve the error, you may need to clear the SSL state in your browser.

Here are the steps to clear the SSL state in the latest version of Google Chrome (ver. 80.0.3987.122):

1. Move your mouse to the right corner of the Chrome screen, click the 3 vertical dots, then select Setting.
2. Scroll down the Settings area until you find the option Advanced. Click.
3. Now click on Open proxy settings. should appear the dialog box.
4. Choose the tab Contents. Ignore the settings on the other tabs.
5. click on clear ssl state, then press OKAY.

5. Disable your antivirus or firewall

Incorrect antivirus and/or firewall settings can also cause connection security issues resulting in the error ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH.

Misconfiguration can also cause some false alarms that cause a safe website to be detected as a dangerous site.

Therefore, it is better to leave the default firewall settings. You can also disable it, but this action can cause critical security issues. Do it at your own risk.

Also, if you run antivirus software or any type of security program installed on your computer, the software may have automatic SSL scanning. Disabling SSL scanning could help you get rid of error messages on the website.

The steps to disable an automatic SSL scan in an antivirus vary. However, if the one you’re using has an SSL scanning option, just turn it off.

What if no solution works?

While we believe that the above methods should be sufficient to correct the ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH in your browser, sometimes they may not work due to some complications.

If this happens, we recommend that you reinstall your web browser. Don’t forget to check the version of your browser, you may need to update it to the latest one.

Also, an older operating system such as Windows XP and Vista has a higher risk of encountering an SSL error. Therefore, you must update your operating system to avoid the error. If you already have the latest operating system, try checking for the latest major update.

conclusion

If you get the error message ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH While browsing the Internet, there are a few things you can do:

• Check your SSL/TSL certificate, make sure you are using the latest version. Use to check it.
• If you’re using an older browser, you may need to enable TLS 1.3 support.
• Make sure you have disabled the QUIC protocol as it can cause an SSL error on some websites.
• Try to clear all history and cache of your browser. There may be an old setting in the cache that is interfering with your connection.
• Try disabling your antivirus and check your firewall settings, make sure everything is set to default. If your antivirus has automatic SSL scanning, disable it.

Finally, the first thing to do when you get an unexpected error message in your browser is to calm down and read the error message carefully.

Most people often get scared when they come across an error like this and forcibly close or restart the browser without paying attention to the message. Whereas, without a proper solution, there is a high chance that the error will reoccur sooner or later.

Deyi is a digital marketing enthusiast, with a background in web design, content creation, copywriting, and SEO. She is part of ‘s SEO & Localization team. In her free time, she likes to develop projects, read a book or watch a good movie.