Troubleshooting “Your Connection Is Not Private” Error: A Tech Support Perspective
When browsing the internet, encountering security warnings can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you least expect it. Recently, I faced a peculiar issue that has left me scratching my head despite my nearly three years of experience in tech support. Whenever I tried to connect to any website using my Ethernet connection, I was met with the ominous message:
“Your connection is not private”
The alert frequently included a warning about potential threats to my sensitive information like passwords, messages, and credit card details. In particular, the error was accompanied by the message:
NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID.
As a tech professional, I took a methodical approach to identify the root cause of this issue. Below, I share the steps I undertook to resolve it, which may assist others facing similar difficulties:
Steps Taken to Troubleshoot the Issue:
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Adjusted the Date and Time: Ensured that the system’s time settings accurately reflected the current date and time.
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Cleared Cache and Cookies: Attempted to rectify the problem while using Incognito Mode.
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Tested with Other Browsers: Verified whether the issue persisted across different web browsers.
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Winsock Reset and DNS Flush: Executed these commands to refresh network settings.
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Router Restart: Restarted the router and tried different Ethernet ports. Since my PC is the only one connected via Ethernet, this was a crucial step.
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Configured Manual IP and DNS Settings: Took control over both the IP address and DNS configurations to eliminate automatic discrepancies.
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Checked Proxy Settings: Ensured no unwanted proxies were interfering with the connection.
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Cleared SSL State: Resetting the SSL state is a common method to tackle certificate errors.
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Reinstalled Network Drivers: Updated and reinstalled the necessary drivers for my network adapter.
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Chrome Shortcut Adjustment: Added the parameter “-ignore-certificate-errors” to the Chrome shortcut to bypass the warning temporarily.
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Antivirus and Security Software Check: Verified that no antivirus programs were conflicting with my browsing experience and disabled Windows Defender.
System Specifications:
To provide additional context, here are the specifications of my setup:
- Motherboard: Asus B450-F Gaming
- CPU: Ryzen 2700x
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Operating System: Windows 10 x64, version 1809
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