When trying to access a website, you may come across an error that says “The connection is not private.” This error indicates that the browser cannot authenticate a secure connection between your device and the website.
“The connection is not private” can be caused by server-side Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) errors or client-side issues. Whether you are the owner of your website or the visitor, there are several methods to fix this privacy error.
Error code“The connection is not private”bug typeSSL connection errorVariationsWarning: Potential upcoming security risk
The connection is not private
This Connection Isn’t Private
net::err_cert_authority_invalidCausesInvalid SSL Certificates
Wi-Fi network errors
Browser issues
Operating system problems
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What is the “The connection is not private” error?
First of all, don’t panic when you get this error: it just means that Google Chrome or another browser is preventing you from visiting an unreliable website.
The “The connection is not private” error usually appears when the browser detects a problem creating a connection or cannot verify the certificate.
A valid SSL certificate makes a website work on , the secure version of HTTP. Websites with problematic SSL connections are not trustworthy because they are prone to security issues like data theft.
But sometimes it is not the website’s SSL certificate that is causing the error at all. It can also be due to some problem of the visitors, such as your browser, your WiFi network or your operating system.
For example, you may encounter this issue when using a public WiFi network, having the wrong date and time on your computer, or enabling SSL scanning in your antivirus software. Fortunately, if the problem is on your end, the “The connection is not private” error should be fixed easily.
What the “The connection is not private” error looks like in different browsers
An error message similar to “The connection is not private” can also be found in other browsers apart from Google Chrome. Take a look at how this error can appear in Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari and Opera.
MozillaFirefox
If the SSL certificate of the website you are trying to visit is not valid, you will receive the message “Warning: Potential Security Risk Upcoming” in Mozilla Firefox.
In the description, Firefox tells you that it “encountered a problem” and states that “the website’s certificate may have expired, preventing Firefox from connecting securely.”
For more detailed information and the specific error code, click advanced. By identifying what the error is, you can troubleshoot the problem more efficiently.
Some of the error codes you may encounter are:
- SEC_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ISSUER
- SSL_ERROR_BAD_CERT_DOMAIN
- SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE
- SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_ISSUER_CERTIFICATE
Microsoft Edge
In Microsoft Edge, an invalid SSL certificate will take you to the “Connection is not private” page, which is almost identical to the one in Chrome. Additionally, you will see a red “Not Secure” indicator next to the address bar.
Edge also tells you that “attackers may be trying to steal your information” from the site you’re trying to access.
Some of the error codes in Microsoft Edge are very similar to what you might see in Chrome:
- NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID
- Error Code: 0
- NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID
- DLG_FLAGS_INVALID_CA
Safari
When you encounter SSL issue in Safari, you will get “This connection is not private” error page. Safari also suggests that you go back to the previous page.
Opera
Opera’s version of the error is “Your connection is not private,” which is similar to Chrome’s. It also shows the error code below the description.
Clicking help me understand more details of the problem are revealed. According to Opera, the error may be due to “misconfiguration or an attacker intercepting your connection.”
The error codes you may see in Opera are similar to the ones you may see in Chrome or Microsoft Edge:
- NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID
- ssl certificate error
- NET::ERR_CERT_INVALID
- NET::ERR_CERT_WEAK_SIGNATURE_ALGORITHM
How to fix “The connection is not private” error
Although the SSL certificate is usually the main culprit behind this error, sometimes it can also be a client-side issue. For the latter case, we have compiled 11 easy ways to fix “The connection is not private”.
1. Reload the page
We’ll start with something simple. If you see the “The connection is not private” error message on your screen, the first and easiest method you can try is to simply refresh the page.
This may seem too obvious; however, it works most of the time. Most likely the SSL certificate has been reissued or your browser failed to send the request to the server.
2. Don’t use public WiFi
Using a public network like a coffee shop or airport Wi-Fi is the most common reason users see this error.
Today, HTTPS is a must for any website, especially those that collect private information. Unfortunately, public networks often work with HTTP instead of HTTPS.
If you transact over a public network, the information you enter will not be encrypted like HTTPS. It will be displayed as plain text, and anyone using the same WiFi network can steal your data if they know what they’re doing. This is why your browser will automatically display the message “The connection is not private” to alert you.
Instead of using public WiFi, try loading the website connected to private networks, such as your home WiFi or mobile data.
3. Clear browser data
Another method to try is to clear your browsing data, such as cookies or cached images and files.
To clear the cache in Chrome, you can follow the steps below:
- Click on the three points in the upper right corner, and then click Record
- Click on the option Clear browsing data
- Check the boxes under the tab Essential to clear your browser’s cache and cookies, or go to the tab Advanced to see more options.
- In the drop down menu Time intervalselect Since Always
- press Delete data once you’re done
4. Try incognito mode
If you don’t want to delete your browser’s stored cookies and cache, you can check if this is causing the problem by trying the incognito mode from Chrome. When you use this mode, your browser will not store any data on your computer.
To access incognito mode, you can click the three points in the upper right corner again and then click the button New incognito window. Now, try to visit the website you are trying to access.
5. Check the date and time on your computer
This may seem a bit strange, but the “The connection is not private” error may appear because your date and time are not set correctly.
Browsers rely on your computer’s date and time to verify the validity of the SSL certificate. If any of this isn’t right, then there could be some problems in the validation process. It may appear that your certificate is no longer valid when in fact it is.
Therefore, to fix the privacy error, make sure the date and time settings are correct. Here’s how to quickly check your computer’s date and time settings in both Windows and macOS.
Windows
- go to Settings -> Time and language -> Date and time.
- enable options Set time automatically Y Set time zone automatically if they are disabled, and check if the updated information is correct.
- Refresh the page you are trying to access.
macOS
- go to System Preferences -> Date & Time.
- Make sure the checkbox Set date and time automatically is checked.
- in the tab Time zonecheck if the option Set time zone automatically using current location is also enabled.
- Please update your web browser to see if that resolved the issue.
6. Check antivirus software or internet security program
Some antivirus programs and Internet security programs look for HTTPS. If this feature is enabled, it will block unusual connections or SSL certificates. To fix this issue, you need to disable the feature SSL scanning.
In case you can’t find where the settings are, you can try disabling your antivirus and reopening the website. If the error no longer appears, you have found the cause of the problem.
7. Temporarily disable your VPN
A (Virtual Private Network) encrypts and redirects your Internet connection through a remote server, which hides your IP address and increases your anonymity on the web. These additional layers of security can block some SSL certificates and cause a “The connection is not private” message.
Temporarily disabling your VPN might remove some barriers between your connection and the website and allow you to check if it’s your VPN that’s causing the error.
8. Try to access the website through a proxy
A proxy works similar to a VPN in that it redirects your Internet connection through a remote server. The difference is that a proxy does not encrypt your connection and you can only configure it on an app-by-app basis.
There is a possibility that other people visit the same site without problems, and the error “The connection is not private” only appears on your computer.
A proxy can help you check if the website is connecting correctly through “another network”. Think of it like using your neighbor’s WiFi to check if he can visit the website.
To access a website through a proxy, you can use free services such as those offered by , or . All you have to do is paste the URL of the website you want to access.
Or, if you already have the address and port number of a proxy server, you can set them in your browser. Here’s how to configure Google Chrome to use a proxy server on Windows:
- Click on the three points in the upper right corner and select Setting.
- In the left sidebar, display the menu Advanced configuration and select System.
- click on Open your computer’s proxy settings.
- In the new window, scroll down until you find Manual proxy configuration and activate use proxy server.
- Paste the Address and the number of Port of the proxy server in their respective fields.
- click on Save.
9. Reboot your router
If you have WiFi at home, you may already know that restarting your router is usually a solution to connection problems. When you meet him…
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