You’re working diligently on a project for work or school, with a deadline in tow.
You’re midway through your project and suddenly, the browser displays the error message ‘this site can’t provide a secure connection.’ Where is this error coming from and what do you need to do to fix it?
A secure connection is a computer networking term that means that the data being sent between your computer and a website cannot be intercepted by other people.
There are many reasons why some sites may be unable to provide a secure connection, including not using HTTPS encryption, or having mixed content.
This post will explain what it means and how to fix the issue.
What does ‘this site can’t provide a secure connection mean?
Is it dangerous and will it harm my computer?
The short answer is yes and now.
If you are visiting websites that may be nefarious or NSFW then you may be setting yourself up to get a virus on your computer.
Unsecure connections of this type have been known to exploit your computer or phone mainly when are visiting unsavory websites, but it’s not always the case.
What is a Secured Connection for webpages?
When you visit a site from your computer, the browser communicates with the website through a TCP/IP connection.
TCP/IP is what allows computers to communicate with each other, and it is responsible for most of the Internet’s communication.
In order for your browser to communicate securely with a website, you must make sure that your web browser uses an SSL certificate.
This ensures that any content you submit or send to that site cannot be intercepted or changed by a third party, so they cannot see your username and password, or credit card information if you’re purchasing something.
It also ensures that your computer only downloads content from the website, rather than from another server somewhere else.
In order to get a secure connection, you must make sure that the website is using HTTPS encryption.
Using HTTPS just means that the site is using SSL certificates correctly.
In that case, this error is attributed to the site in question not using SSL certificates to encrypt its traffic.
Any time that you’re unable to use a secure connection; you’ll get this error message.
There might also be a problem with the site’s SSL certificate, or the website might not be configured correctly.
How to fix the ‘this site can’t provide a secure connection error
Common with any other issue that you may run into while browsing the web, there are a few ways that you can troubleshoot this error.
We’ve listed them here for you, so you can fix the problem in no time.
Set the correct date and time on your computer
First things first, you need to make sure that your computer’s clock and date are set correctly.
Most sites will not work unless you’re visiting them at the correct time and date.
Wondering why this has to be done?
Well, the SSL certificate authentication process relies on factors such as when it was issued, the expiration date and time, and the certificate duration.
That’s why if your computer has a clock that’s set incorrectly, you’ll see this error.
- Go to Control Panel
- Click on Clock, Language and Region
- Click on Date and Time
- Click on Internet Time
- Tab and verify.
- If the settings are correct, click OK to save changes
Clear your browser cache
When browsing a website, your browser will cache content in order to provide quick access.
This process uses space on your hard drive to store ‘temporary files’ for things like cookies, and temporary information about a site you’re viewing.
Clearing your browser’s cache can make sure that any temporary files are deleted from your browser, which will result in this error being removed from the display.
To do so, go to Settings > General > Clear Cache.
Malicious browser extensions
If you are a Chrome or Firefox user then you may have heard about Browser extensions like Honey, an app that saves you money while you shop online through coupons, it’s a great app for those who love to get a deal.
Browser extensions add features to our browsers that often give better features for websites and etc.
While these extensions can enrich our internet surfing time, they can also be a malicious exploit that can steal your information or take over your computer with viruses and malware.
Most extensions downloaded from app stores may not be configured correctly, which can result in this error being displayed to you.
If you recently downloaded a new extension or you installed a bad .exe file on your computer, it may be the reason why you are getting the ‘this site can’t provide a secure connection’ error.
If you suspect you or someone in your family installed a new app on your computer then should consider disabling all extensions by following this brief guide.
- Go to your browser settings
- Click on Extensions
- Uninstall all extensions
Check your Antivirus software
Antivirus programs have become a popular way to keep your computer secure.
It’s common that they will run on your computer while you’re browsing the web to make sure that any malicious software is prevented.
Since it’s doing its job, the Antivirus software can be mistakenly blocking your browser from connecting to the website.
Some programs are overzealous in a way that they may consider a secure site malicious.
In this case, disabling your antivirus program will allow your browser to connect to the site and you will be able to work again.
You can disable the Antivirus software from running on your computer, but we recommend doing this only if you don’t think it’s necessary for your computer to keep off viruses.
Renew expired or invalid SSL certificates
Several SSL certificates have an expiration date on them.
If you’re using one of these and the site is not working with it, this may be the reason why.
You could check with your IT department to see if they can renew the certificate, or you can do it yourself using simple instructions.
This will probably be the easiest way to fix the ‘this site can’t provide a secure connection’ error.
Final Thoughts
The ‘this site can’t provide a secure connection’ error message is an error that you can work around easily, once you’ve found out what the problem may be.
There are several things that you can try when it comes to fixing this, and we’ve provided instructions for the most common way to do so.
If any of these methods don’t work out for you, contact your computer support technician or IT department for assistance.
FAQs
Why does Google say this site can’t provide a secure connection?
Most likely the site is using an expired SSL certificate to encrypt traffic on its website.
This may lead to a broken SSL connection, especially if you are using a proxy server with your browser.
How do I fix this connection is not secure on Chrome?
This error occurs because the web browser is not able to load a valid SSL certificate from the website.
An expired or invalid SSL certificate is often the reason for this.
In this case, renewing it may help you fix the error.
If that does not work, try using another browser to access the site instead of Chrome (e.g., Firefox).
