How to Fix Your Connection is Not Private Error? — WPOven Blog

11 min readJan 8, 2020

One of the errors that you may face when using Google Chrome on Windows PC is Your Connection is Not Private error with various error codes. The browser will explain to you that it dangerous to visit the resource as the attackers might try to steal your private data like passwords, messages or bank card numbers. This can happen simply with no reason, sometimes when connecting to another Wi-Fi network (or using another Internet connection) or when trying to open the particular website.

In this article we will cover deeply everything about this connection is not private error so let’s dive in -

What is Connection is Not Private Error?

Usually “Your Connection is Not Private” error appears in Chromium-based browsers. Besides Google Chrome, it can be Opera, Vivaldi, Comodo Dragon, and others.

There are a lot of various reasons but they can be easily fixed. This tutorial we will show you how to fix “Your Connection is Not Private” error in Google Chrome. We’re pretty sure that at least one of the offered methods will help you.

You can also read our take on some other common errors you witness while working on WordPress ( White Screen of Death, Database Connection Error, 504 Gateway Timeout Error, 404 Not Found Error, 502 Bad Gateway Error, 403 Forbidden Error and most deadly the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN )

Alternate Error Messages

“Your Connection is Not Private” error in Google Chrome can go with different error codes:

ERR_CERT_SYMANTEC_LEGACY
NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID
NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID
NET::ERR_CERT_WEAK_SIGNATURE_ALGORITHM
NTE::ERR_CERTIFICATE_TRANSPARENCY_REQUIRED
NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID
SSL certificate error
ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH

How to Fix the connection is not private error?

Check what side is the problem-

First of all, you need to check the availability of the website where you get an error. appears. This will make sure that the problem is really on your side. To do this, you can try to access this resource from another device or through another connection. Trying to enter the website from your mobile device if you work on the PC or connect to another network.

You can also use the services of whois-services, allowing you to check the availability of any website in your country for free. If a resource is blocked, then try to access it using VPN service, special extensions or other tools.

We found out that the problem is on your side. What should you do next?

The reason for “Your Connection is Not Private” error can be the following:

Failed system time.
Problems with the browser or its extensions.
Incorrect network connection settings.
Incorrect antivirus and firewall settings and work.
You did not update the operating system, your PC is infected by a virus, some third-party programs work incorrect, incorrect installation of network drivers.What should you in every situation? Let’s look closer.

Set / Update the system time-

The latest versions of modern browsers have already learned to recognize the system time failure, notifying the user that the clock is lagging or hurrying. Nevertheless, in cases with old PCs, the significant difference between system and real-time can cause “Your Connection is Not Private” error.

In this situation, the browser relies on the validity of the SSL certificate, which, if the time is incorrect, could be mistakenly recognized as invalid. Accordingly, the HTTPS connection is not secure, and the browser recommends to block it, protecting the user from possible risk. The solution will be a simple correction of the date and time on your device. Fix the time manually or let the computer configure it automatically.

Troubleshoot browser problems-

Before you start looking for problems in Google Chrome browser, upgrade your operating system and browser to the latest version. Only after that, you can proceed to the following actions.

Open the page in the ‘incognito’ mode-

No matter error code you get, try opening a new window in incognito mode. In Google Chrome, click Ctrl +Shift + N, or select the item in the browser menu. Then, check if the same site where you keep getting the error messages opens properly.

If it opens and everything works, then try the following options: disable all extensions, clear cache and cookies, restore browser settings or even reinstall the browser.

Check the Browser extensions-

Disable all extensions to see if they are the case. In the Chrome menu, click on the Advanced Tools — Extensions. To disable them just uncheck the toggle on each of them. Make sure you disable all the extensions, it is very important to identify the reason.

Then, open the page again. If the error does not appear anymore, all you have to do is to find the extension causing the error. Turn on the installed extensions one by one and check the availability of the problem site after each one.

Clear cache and cookies-

If disabling extensions did not help, you need to clear your browser’s cache and cookies. To do this, you can use the combination Ctrl + Shift + Del, which calls the cache menu and temporary files or go to the same options through the settings.

To do this, in Chrome, in the drop-down menu on the right, you need to go to the “Additional Tools” section and click on “Delete browsing data”. In the window that opens, select “Cookies and other data sites” and “Images and other files stored in the cache.” Delete the data.

Restore browser settings-

Another great way to fix “Your Connection is Not Private” error is to reset all the browser settings to the default ones. In the desktop version of Google Chrome, go to Settings — Advanced settings section and select “Restore default settings” at the very bottom of the page.

Reinstall browser-

Reinstalling a web browser with prior removal of the old version may also solve the problem. In order not to start everything from scratch, do not forget to save the pages you need in the bookmarks. Not a bad idea will be to turn on the synchronization.

Incorrect network connection settings-

Incorrect network connection settings are also a very common cause of errors when opening web pages. And “Your Connection is Not Private” is not the last among them. The following tips will help you to solve the issue.

(a) Change DNS addresses from provider’s to public

By default, the provider’s DNS server is used to match domain names to IP addresses of Internet resources. To replace them with public ones, for example, DNS from Google (the main one is 8.8.8.8 and the alternative one is 8.8.4.4) or similar, open the network connection properties on your computer. In the list of components on the Network tab, check IPv4 and click the Properties button again. In the lower half of the new window, check “Use the following DNS server addresses” and list the selected IP. Reconnect to the Internet to take effect.

If the error occurs on all devices on the network, change DNS in the settings of the router.

(b) Disable VPN and proxy servers, if they are used to access the Internet

In some cases, they can work incorrect making using the websites impossible. Just disable any of them and try again.

(c) Changing the network discovery settings of the computer

You are able to set the feature in the “Advanced sharing settings” of the Network Control Center.

Optimal network detection parameters are chosen empirically. If the function is disabled — turn it on, if it is on — turn it off.

On your Windows PC, go to “All networks” section, click on “Use 128-bit encryption …” and “Turn on shared access with password protection.”

Reset TCP/IP, Winsock, and DNS cache settings-

Run the command line as the administrator and one by one run the following commands:netsh winsock reset catalognetsh int ip reset reset.log hitipconfig / flushdnsNext step is to restart the PC. In many cases, all the manipulations help to fix the error.

Check for antivirus or firewall-

Some antiviruses and firewalls have the built-in protection of network connections using the HTTPS protocol. It may conflict with the identical function of the browser, and therefore an error occurs. To check the influence of such programs, simply turn them off and try again to open the problematic site. If you can open it without any problems, then in antivirus software, add the desired site to the list of exceptions.

Disabling or limiting the activity of antivirus for the sake of one site is only in cases where you are completely confident that the website is absolutely secure and protected. Do not enable this feature for every site you use. It can be dangerous.

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What to do if the cause was not corrected? If none of the ways to solve the problem helped, you can enter the site by stepping over a message about an unprotected connection. To do this, in the error window you need to click on “Advanced” and then “Go to the site (insecure)” if such a link is available. In most cases, it is available. Doing this, you ignore the risk and can use the site with no limits.

It is recommended to use this bypass only with those sites where you are not going to enter any personal data or make an online payment. Remember that these resources may be unsafe.

System problems-

The “Your Connection is Not Private” error may occur because the user ignores the operating system updates. Even if you have an old Windows XP, at least service pack 3 must be installed on it, otherwise, you will not be able to get rid of the error. Moreover, do not forget to update the latest versions of the operating system when the updates are released. Today, the refusal to update the system is completely unreasonable, as it minifies the protective mechanisms of the system and creates a lot of other problems.

When you cannot connect to certain types of Internet resources — social networks, search engines, email, antivirus sites, it is a frequent symptom of malware infection. Therefore, even if you managed to solve the problem in other ways, scanning for viruses is a must.

In some cases, the reason for the error is the incorrect network drivers. If before the error, you updated or reinstalled the network adapter driver, restore the system to the day when everything worked without failures, or roll back the driver to the previous version. To do this, go to the device manager, open the adapter properties, go to the “Driver” tab and click the “Rollback” button.

If the button is not active, it means that there is no previous driver in the system and to solve the problem you will have to remove and reinstall it by downloading from the manufacturer’s website of the laptop or motherboard of the computer.

The last, quite rare reason for the error is incorrect applications and games. And they can be installed long before it. A program or game update (if it happens in the background, you could miss the moment when it was installed), changes in settings, conflicts with other software, or just launching the web through a browser while surfing the network can lead to such a crash.

You can check how the installed applications influence the error using the safe mode with the support of network drivers. If in this mode all the sites open normally, then the software is the reason. Identify the application that causes “Your Connection is Not Private” error.

Some more possible reasons for the error and the ways to fix them

Your antivirus or firewall with SSL scanning or HTTPS protection enabled. Try either to turn them off completely and check if this fixes the problem, or find this option in the protection settings of the antivirus app and disable it.
The old version of Windows without installed security updates from Microsoft. Install all the latest system updates.
If the error appears only on one site, while you open a bookmark to open it, try to find the site through a search engine and enter it through the search result.
If the error appears only on one site when accessing via HTTPS, but on all computers and mobile devices, even if they are connected to different networks (for example, Android — via 3G or LTE, and a laptop — via Wi-Fi), then most likely the problem is from the site, it remains to wait until they fix it.
When you received this error message when connecting to a public Wi-Fi hotspot (in the metro, cafe, shopping center, airport, etc.), try to go to any site with http (without encryption). Perhaps when you connect to this access point, you need to log in first. Enter the site without https and enter back to the secure connection website. In that case, you will not get an error.

How to disable the error message and restore access to the site

If none of the solutions helped and the required website still does not open, you can disable the error message (along with checking the SSL certificate) and access it by simply setting the -ignore key in the properties of the Google Chrome shortcut. The right mouse button on the Google Chrome shortcut and in the Object field add the following command -ignore-certificate-errors.

After that, the message “Your connection is not private” will no longer disturb you, but the protection of HTTPS connections in this browser will not work. If this option suits you — go ahead.

We have just reviewed the possible reasons of “Your Connection is Not Private” error in Google Chrome and the possible ways to fix it. We are pretty sure that the tutorial helped you and you could solve the issue.

Originally published at https://www.wpoven.com on January 8, 2020.