How to Fix "Your connection is not secure" Error?
Written by Rimvydas Iliavicius on
How to Fix "Your connection is not secure" Mozilla Firefox Error
Being protected online, you are also restricted in certain ways. The Mozilla Firefox error "Your connection is not secure" prevents you from accessing various websites. This error usually occurs when the validation certificate is not completed, and the encryption level is not strong enough.
In such cases, you could click the "Go Back" button, but you will be unable to return to the web page. You could also try to override the warning and continue to access the web page regardless, but this could put your computer at risk due to the vulnerable communication channel.
The error message usually returns a "SEC_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ISSUER" error code related to SSL (Secure Socket Layers). SSL is an Internet Security Protocol designed to protect users from personal and financial information leaks.
If you receive the error, the web page is not recognized and not secure, or the site contains unsafe content such as malware or viruses. Other things that could trigger this error could be a false SSL certificate name, incorrect date and time settings on your computer, outdated or corrupted browser, antivirus software blocking the site, etc.
This guide outlines several solutions to the "Your connection is not secure" Mozilla Firefox issue. Follow the steps below to remove the error.
Video Showing How to Fix "Your connection is not secure" Error:
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Check Your Time and Date
- Restart Your Router
- Scan Your System for Malware
- Clear Firefox Browsing History
- Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus
- Use Private Mode
- Video Showing How to Fix "Your connection is not secure" Error
Check Your Time and Date
If the website you are trying to access is actually safe, you might simply need to check your Windows date and time settings, since most websites use security certificates with expiration dates.
If the date and time are incorrect, Mozilla Firefox might consider the certificate required as outdated. If that is the case, you must update the settings.
To do so, right-click the clock on the Taskbar and select "Adjust date/time" from the contextual menu.
Now toggle the switch under "Set time automatically" to "Off" position, wait a few seconds, and then turn this option on again.
Alternatively, turn off the "Set time automatically" option, click "Change time", and then set the correct time manually.
Restart Mozilla Firefox and visit the website again to see if you still receive the "Your connection is not secure" error.
Restart Your Router
It is possible that the router is causing the "Your connection is not secure" error and needs to be restarted. To restart your router, find the power button and press it until you see the device power down. Wait for about 30 seconds, and then turn the router back on. Wait until it has powered up and configured fully.
Try to visit the website again to see if you still receive the "Your connection is not secure" error.
Scan Your System for Malware
The error may be caused by malware or virus infections on your computer. We recommend performing a full system scan and seeing if it detects any malware on the system.
You can use Windows Defender, which protects computers against viruses, spyware, other malicious software.
To run a full system scan using Windows Defender, type "virus" in Search and click the "Virus & threat protection" result.
In the Virus & threat protection window, click "Advanced scan".
Select "Full scan" and click "Scan now". This will start scanning your system for malware. If there are any viruses found, delete them.
If you wish, you can choose a virus and malware scanner from our Top anti-malware list. The list contains well-known top spyware removers and will help you choose the right software for your computer's protection. Click this link.
Clear Firefox Browsing History
Browsing history contains records of web pages that you have visited in past browsing sessions and typically includes the name of the website and the corresponding URL.
Other private data components such as cache, cookies, saved passwords, etc., are also saved during your browsing session. Sometimes clearing this browsing data can fix the "Your connection is not secure" error.
To clear Mozilla Firefox browsing data, click the three stripes in the top-right corner and select "Options".
Now select "Privacy & Security" on the left pane and then click "clear your recent history" under "History". Click "Clear Now" under "Cached Web Content".
Restart Mozilla Firefox and visit that particular website again to see if you still receive the "Your connection is not secure" error.
Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus
Another reason for the "Your connection is not secure" error is antivirus software running on the system. Try to disable the SSL scan in your antivirus software (if there is such an option).
If you are not sure whether this option is available or cannot find one, we suggest that you temporarily disable the antivirus software. Read this article to find out how to disable antivirus software programs.
Use Private Mode
Data files are used by your computer for various purposes, from keeping a history of the sites you have visited saving specific preferences in small text files known as cookies. Private mode removes most private data components, so they are not left behind at the end of the current session (when you close the Private window).
When you are using Private mode, no one else who uses your computer can see your activity. Your saved bookmarks and downloads, however, are saved. This mode does not save cookies, site data, browsing history, or information you enter into forms.
If you are receiving "Your connection is not secure" error when trying to access a particular website, visit it in a new Private window by clicking the three stripes in the top-right corner and selecting "New Private Window" from the drop-down menu.
You can also open a new Private window by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + P keys on the keyboard. All new tabs in that window will also be opened in Private mode.
In the new private window, enter the web page address you want to visit and see if this method helps overcome the "Your connection is not secure" error in Mozilla Firefox.
We hope this guide helped you fix the "Your connection is not secure" Mozilla Firefox error.
If you know of other solutions to this problem that are not mentioned in our guide, please share them with us by leaving a comment in the section below.
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