Continually getting https Certificate Errors on all browsers

Question

I recently switched to a new laptop running Windows 7. For some reason I am constantly getting certificate errors when hitting sites where I really shouldn't be getting them - twitter, picasa, google analytics (but gmail works), my bank, etc.

This is happening in all browsers. This is happening in all networks (at work and at home). This is definitely an issue with my laptop or operating system. I know the usual cause is my date being set incorrectly, but it's definitely correct.

The error I am getting in Chrome is the following

The site's security certificate is not trusted!

You attempted to reach www.site.com, but the server presented a certificate issued by an entity that is not trusted by your computer's operating system. This may mean that the server has generated its own security credentials, which Google Chrome cannot rely on for identity information, or an attacker may be trying to intercept your communications. You should not proceed, especially if you have never seen this warning before for this site.

I have tried manually accepting the certificate, but it doesn't work - I still get the same error every time.

I checked this answer - Endless Security Certificate Errors - and used that advice (reset my Internet settings), but it didn't make any difference.

Solution 1

Your problem might be that your new computer is missing some root certification authority (CA) certificates.

See this article: Windows root certificate program members

where you can manually download and install all third-party root certificates that are distributed via the Windows Root Certificate Program.

Solution 2

Be sure that the date of your computer is accurate.

A dead CMOS battery might reset the date to the early 2000 every time the computer boots which will prevent a certificate from being valid, since they have an expiration date and a validity date.

Solution 3

Had the same problem on Windows 7 where any secure website would give an invalid certificate error message in any browser for Chrome, IE, and Firefox.

As a solution, I found the Browser Safeguard in my programs and deleted. No problems after that.

Solution 4

I'm using Windows 8 and Explorer 10

The solution may be as simple as looking on your control panel for the newest programs that were loaded most recently on the same day and deleting them. About four days ago my browser started posting an invalid certificate on every web page. Yes even the good owes like Google, Yahoo, AOL... etc. No matter what web page I went to, the invalid certificate warned me of the web page. Windows defender missed them in the scan. When you look at this issuer of the certificate it says DO_NOT_TRUST_FiddlerRoot. There we about four or five programs that were installed on the same day. Once of them was named Browser Safeguard and it was installed on the same day as the other four programs so I deleted it too then rebooted. I also went to:

Internet Explorer/Internet Options/Connections/Local Area Network (LAN) Settings and uncheck the Proxy Server box.

No more problems with invalid certificates.

View more solutions

Comments

[Admin]

Browser safeguard was my main problem with this issue after uninstalling the program my internet cert browsing is back to normal.

[Admin]

The date and time of my Win7 are correct, it is a fresh installation so clearing cache and reseting settings are useless. The problem is fixed by installing Support for urgent Trusted Root updates for Windows Root Certificate Program in Windows update. You can also go to the download site of Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3004394)

[Jaco Pretorius]

Thanks - I had about 15 root certificates where I should have had about 100.

[Judah Himango]

CMOS battery had died. I replaced it, got the security errors described in the question. Updating the system time, closing all browsers, and trying again fixed it. Thanks!

[Tomas]

I had the same problem and this was the issue! I had my date set one month ago (August instead of September) and it caused the above error! I discovered it just by chance...

[79E09796]

Similar problem on a friends computer, after uninstalling PrivDog problem solved.