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Resolved Question

Why Outdated Security Certificate Warnings So Often?

by Mar 25, 2014 10:48AM PDT

I am using a MacBook Air with latest op system (Mavericks.) Usually use Chrome, but also Firefox, Safari and (rarely) Opera. All up to date. Problem occurs on all...

Every day, and sometimes several times during the day (especially if I "wake" the computer) when I attempt to connect to Google (and a few other sites) I get a warning along the lines of "this may not be the site you are looking for." It doesn't happen with all sites, and I can usually "fix" it by either completely closing down the browser (with a Command-Q keystroke, for example) or by turing off wifi and waiting a few seconds before turning it back on.

(It happens even after I have been successfully surfing Google and all other sites for a while, not just upon "waking up")

This is very annoying. Why does this happen so frequently and why particularly Google (and maybe a few other sites, but not the majority)??

Thanks

Discussion is locked

jack north has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer
10 Posts
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Best Answer

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The other reason
by Forum moderator Mar 26, 2014 4:56AM PDT
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This morning...
by jack north Mar 27, 2014 12:14AM PDT

...I opened the laptop (did not turn it off last night...seldom do), had a cup of coffee read some emails then after the computer had been awake for 10-15 minutes, I clicked a link in an email from Amazon and got the "not the site" warning. (I had not used the browser up to this point.)

The time/day in both the menu bar and and System Preferences were correct.

(Even now I can navigate this forum but when I click the link to Google support in your last reply I am getting the warning! How frustrating!)

Again, Bob, thanks for your replies. I guess I'll have to see what malware and anti-phising add-ons or software may be causing this.

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It's on all devices!
by jack north Apr 15, 2014 5:20AM PDT

Pulled out a Windows netbook that I only use weekly (so it's up to date with Windows and Avast anti-virus app) and get the same error from Google occasionally. My wife has the same problem with her iPad. So it's either Google (in which case I'm surprised this issue isn't more high-profile) or one of my neighbors (in which case I'm not returning any tools until I figure this out!)

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I wonder
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Apr 15, 2014 5:31AM PDT

If some date/time is off in a router or other thing. Lately I've seen very few of the error we're discussing here. That heartbleed issue appears to have web masters cleaning up their act.
Bob

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I wondered the same thing!
by jack north Apr 15, 2014 8:03AM PDT

Funny, I just wondered about the router this morning. (I'm sure I didn't think of it myself...might have been a subliminal recollection from something I read.) I will research how to determine if it's the router.

I also fleetingly thought of the Heartbleed thing, since Google is one of the sites they suggested resetting passwords for. But this error/certificate message has come up a couple times today, so I wouldn't think it's at play here.

But the router...hmmm...

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Problem Solved (sort of)
by jack north Apr 27, 2014 4:19AM PDT

Got fed up with this problem on every device we have, so I just changed default search engines! Haven't had a problem since. (Changed to Bing and Yahoo on various machines.)

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Answer
Same here.
by Forum moderator Mar 25, 2014 10:52AM PDT

Some sites don't keep up. I have yet to find it's my computer. Well, you can cause it to happen if your computer's clock is too far off.

http://www.lockergnome.com/windows/2005/04/06/how-do-i-fix-invalid-or-expired-security-certificate-errors/

Yeah, that's Windows but you can trip this on Linux so time to check that clock.

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14090

Be sure to turn off the WiFi, shutdown, then wake up the computer. This way without the wifi the OS can't sync time and you'll see what date/time the computer thinks it is.
Bob

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This begs the question(s)...
by jack north Mar 26, 2014 1:31AM PDT

...why does my computer lose the time/date so often...sometimes in the middle of a session?

And, just curious...

...does the time/day display in the menu bar at the top of the screen use use a different source? I don't think I've ever seen it to be wrong?

...why do some sites, major sites like Google, in fact, seem to be more susceptible to this error than others? I'm not even sure my bank's site has displayed this error!

Thanks for your response, R. Proffitt.

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So you verified this?
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 26, 2014 1:58AM PDT

I offered a way to check the Apple's RTC and I can't tell if you did that.
Bob

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What My Computer Thinks
by jack north Mar 26, 2014 4:51AM PDT

Turned off wifi and restarted...twice. I also turned off wifi and let the computer sleep. Each time my computer's day/time was correct upon waking/rebooting. (One sleep time 3-4 min, another was about 15 minutes.) I will try to remember to check this the next time I get the certificate errors.

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