Err_ssl_protocol_error appears when a browser cannot establish a secure connection with a website’s server, often caused by expired SSL certificates or mismatched encryption protocols between your server and visitors’ browsers. This message could have many causes: expired certificates could have expired while encryption protocols between visitors and your visitors could mismatch, leaving your visitors vulnerable and susceptible to security threats on your site.
There are various straightforward solutions available to us to fix this issue, and in this article, we will explore five of the most frequently occurring causes for err_ssl_protocol_error and provide steps on how to resolve them.
1. Check your browser’s cache
Err_ssl_protocol_error can appear when trying to access websites using SSL. Websites requiring sensitive data (like passwords or credit card details ) tend to use it so they can verify your identity, while also protecting against others gaining access. If this message appears while trying to connect, there are some steps you can take in order to fix it.
First and foremost, you should clear your browser’s cache. Your browser stores information about sites you visit in an effort to provide faster browsing experiences; however, this can become problematic if SSL certificates for them change. The easiest way to clear your cache is via visiting your settings menu in your browser – for Chrome this means clicking three vertical dots in the upper right corner and choosing “Settings,” followed by “Clear Browsing Data,” before finally clicking confirm on that menu item.
As part of your general browser maintenance routine, it is also recommended that you clear your SSL state. An SSL state stores records of an SSL certificate associated with a website; when these certificates change without updating in your browser’s cache or history files, using outdated information that could cause the err_ssl_protocol_error error message. To clear it out manually you can go into your settings menu and click “Clear SSL state.”
Err_ssl_protocol_error could also be related to your date and time settings. When these are out-of-sync with those on the Internet, issues arise including SSL connection errors.
If all other solutions have failed, updating your browser may help. Outdated browser versions may no longer meet encryption standards; to update, visit Google Chrome website and download their latest version; alternatively you can check for updates by going into your browser’s menu by clicking “Settings” icon and “About Chrome.” Additionally, check whether antivirus or firewall settings may interfere with an SSL certificate installation.
2. Clear your SSL state
If you have been experiencing SSL errors, clearing your SSL state could help. SSL not only encrypts data; it also verifies the identity of the website you’re connecting with by using certificates – proofs of identity that get stored on computers for quick connections.
But if your certificate has become expired or misconfigured, you may experience issues like an err_ssl_protocol_error error message. There are a few solutions for fixing this problem on either the client or server side, such as clearing your browser cache, disabling third-party security software and updating SSL certificates.
Chrome stores SSL certificate information in its cache to speed up connections, but this can cause problems if you are installing or troubleshooting an SSL configuration issue on your site. To clear Chrome’s SSL state, go into Control Panel > Internet Options, open Internet Properties dialog box > Advanced tab, then delete Private Data button – after clicking this you should get confirmation message that SSL state has been cleared; reboot Chrome afterwards and see if any issues remain unresolved.
Error 521 typically appears when there’s an issue with a website’s SSL certificate or HTTPS protocol, such as its configuration or invalid certificates. Either way, experiencing such errors on any of your favorite websites is sure to be frustrating!
There are some steps you can take to help resolve an error message, some directed more toward clients while others focus more on server configuration and installation of SSL certificates. We hope these suggestions will allow you to easily navigate back into browsing websites with no interruptions!
3. Check your date and time settings
Date and time settings on your operating system could also play a part in the err_ssl_protocol_error you’re encountering with Chrome, since SSL certificates have predetermined expiration dates and any discrepancies between actual date/time and system time can hamper authentication processes for secure connections.
Your computer could be configured to update its date and time from the internet every hour; however, websites may be unable to reach their servers to do so, leading to browsers thinking they no longer valid websites – thus leading to errors being returned by their server.
An additional possibility could be that your antivirus or firewall program is interfering with your browser’s SSL connection. These programs often block SSL connections as a measure to prevent malware from infiltrating computers, thus interfering with seamless, secure communications between web servers. In such a situation, to gain access to websites in question it would be necessary for you to disable your antivirus/firewall software until access can be granted to them.
Errors may occur as a result of incorrect installation or expired/not activated SSL certificates on a web server. This may happen if they’re improperly installed or activated as planned.
Your web hosting provider or an SSL tool such as SSL Labs should be able to assist in fixing this issue; otherwise, another hosting service might provide more secure web services and solutions.
Err_ssl_protocol_error is one of the most frequently seen errors when browsing the internet, yet it’s easy to fix! With our expert tips in this article you’ll soon be back online in no time! Marko Aleksic is an IT Technical Writer at PhoenixNAP with an avid interest in all things IT. His desire to make technology less intimidating for non-technical people drove him towards writing; where he can share his knowledge and help others.
4. Check your firewall settings
If none of the previous solutions worked, it’s possible that your antivirus or firewall software may be interfering with SSL/TLS protocols and creating problems with authentication and authorization. You may need to temporarily disable them in order to resolve err_ssl_protocol_error issues.
Error ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR is not dangerous as it simply indicates that your browser was unable to establish a secure connection with a website or web service. This issue could be due to many different reasons, including an expired or outdated SSL certificate, misconfiguration server settings or third-party security software preventing secure communication. Thankfully, there are several simple solutions you can take in order to resolve it; including updating your browser, clearing its cache and SSL state, disabling antivirus or firewall software and making sure all date/time settings on computers match.
Although error messages don’t present serious risks, they can still be frustrating for users and site owners alike, since it can be hard to pinpoint their exact source and often create confusion as to what action are necessary to resolve it.
End users typically encounter this error with pages such as, “Your connection is not private” and, “This site cannot provide a secure connection”. These errors provide information on how to fix them; but for site owners this error can be even more infuriating as it prevents visitors from accessing websites or services provided online.
As there are several simple solutions for ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR error messages, such as updating your browser and clearing SSL state and cache, disabling antivirus/firewall software and verifying date/time settings; as well as checking security/privacy settings of computers/devices – updating, clearing cache/state and disabling antivirus or firewall software will likely help with this error message in the future. It may also help if sensitive websites are avoided on public Wi-Fi networks while installing third-party browser extensions/antivirus software which will reduce chances of encountering this error message again later on.