Resolving the “Your Connection is Not Private” Error: A Personal Challenge in Tech Support
In the world of technology, even seasoned professionals can encounter perplexing issues that leave them scratching their heads. I recently faced one such situation while working as a tech support specialist for nearly three years. Despite my experience, I found myself stumped by a recurring error message: “Your connection is not private.”
The Dilemma
While browsing the web using my ethernet connection, I was greeted with the following alarming message, no matter the website I tried to access:
“Your connection is not private. Attackers might be trying to steal your information from
The error code NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID was displayed, which further complicated the matter.
Troubleshooting Steps Taken
Determined to solve the issue, I explored a variety of troubleshooting methods:
- Date and Time Adjustment: Ensured my system clock was accurate.
- Cache and Cookies Clearing: Deleted temporary browsing data and tried accessing sites in Incognito mode.
- Different Browsers: Used multiple web browsers to rule out any browser-specific issues.
- Winsock Reset & DNS Flush: Executed these commands to reset network settings.
- Router Restart: Rebooted my router and switched ports, although my PC is the only device using ethernet at home.
- Manual IP & DNS Configuration: Set up static IP and DNS addresses.
- Proxy Settings Check: Confirmed that no proxy was interfering with my connection.
- Cleared SSL State: Removed any stored SSL states that could be causing issues.
- Reinstalled Network Drivers: Updated and reinstalled my network drivers.
- Chrome Shortcut Modification: Attempted to add “-ignore-certificate-errors” to the Chrome shortcut, hoping to bypass the error.
- Disabling Security Software: Made sure no antivirus was present and deactivated Windows Defender temporarily.
Despite these efforts, the issue persisted.
My Setup
To provide a clearer picture of my technical environment, here are the specifications of my PC:
- Motherboard: Asus B450-F Gaming
- Processor: Ryzen 2700x
- Operating System: Windows 10 x64, v1809
- Graphics Card: Gigabyte
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