Troubleshooting the “Your Connection is Not Private” Error: A Personal Journey

Navigating the internet can occasionally lead us down frustrating paths, particularly when we encounter alarming messages about our connection’s security. Recently, I found myself facing one such challenge—despite my near three years of experience in tech support, I was utterly perplexed by a recurring error: “Your connection is not private.”

While browsing various websites via an Ethernet connection, I was met with this daunting warning:

“Your connection is not private. Attackers might be trying to steal your information from (for example, passwords, messages or credit cards). Learn more. NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID”

To help others who may find themselves in the same unenviable situation, I wanted to share the steps I took to resolve this issue. Here’s a comprehensive list of troubleshooting actions I embarked on:

1. Adjusted Date and Time: A simple yet often overlooked step is ensuring your system’s date and time are correctly set.
2. Cleared Cache and Cookies: I tried accessing sites in Incognito Mode and cleared my browser’s cache, just to rule out any stored data issues.
3. Utilized Different Browsers: I tested multiple browsers to see if the error persisted across platforms.
4. Conducted a Winsock Reset and DNS Flush: These commands can refresh network settings and possibly fix connectivity issues.
5. Restarted the Router: This included switching ports as my PC was the only unit connected via Ethernet at the time.
6. Manually Set IP and DNS: Configuring these settings might sometimes resolve connection errors.
7. Checked Proxy Settings: Ensuring that no inadvertent proxy settings were disrupting my connection was crucial.
8. Cleared SSL State: This step involved erasing any stored SSL data that could be causing errors.
9. Reinstalled Network Drivers: It’s essential to ensure that the latest drivers are in place for your network hardware.
10. Modified Chrome Shortcut for Certificate Errors: I attempted adding “-ignore-certificate-errors” to bypass this specific warning.
11. Disabled Antivirus and Windows Defender: To rule out any security programs that may have been blocking legitimate connections.

In my specific case, my connection was directly from my PC to the router without any intermediary devices. My setup included:

• Motherboard: Asus B450-F Gaming
• CPU