Sometimes when opening a website, the browser may display this error / warning message: " There is a problem with the website's security certificate ." You can therefore decide to continue visiting the site or to exit, but what is the meaning of this message "> Surfing safely on public wifi network, free or unsecured
When you access a website where you need to login and manage an account, the information that is transmitted, including the password, must remain illegible to those who administer the site and to those who can intercept traffic.
The online service provider could be the bank, an online store, PayPal, e-mail, where confidential and sensitive data is stored.
When you access this type of site, you will notice that in front of your internet address, there is a padlock and that the URL starts with // instead of // .
HTTPS ( HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure ) indicates that the site is protected by Secure Socket Layer / Transport Layer Security .
In practice, it ensures that the data that passes between the visitor and the site is encrypted and that the site is identified as authentic.
The site proves to be administered and managed by its true owners through a security certificate which is recognized by the Internet browser.
If you browse a site that requires registration and registration of an account, but does not show a security certificate and does not start with HTTPS, then you should be very careful because the data that you send through that site can be readable in the clear.
The same attention must be paid in the event that the site has the https address, but a problem warning is displayed on the security certificate because that could be a fake or in any case not a secure site.
So when the lock does not appear green, you can click on it to see more details.
In detail, the permissions that are granted to that site are listed, which are explained by Google on this page in Italian.
The security certificate of an online store or of sites with https connection pay an institution called Certificate Authority (CA) that checks the authenticity of the company and its operations on the internet
Browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer look at the lists of certification authorities deemed reliable and show the security certificate of the sites.
If the certificate has not been updated (because the certification must be renewed every year) or if it comes from an untrusted certification authority, the warning message appears.
It may also be that that site, although in good faith, relied on a free certification authority (such as CAcert), which does not have the same recognition levels and only provides site encryption.
So, if a warning about the website's security certificate is displayed, first of all click on the button to see in detail the reason for the problem.
You can then decide whether to continue not to visit the site which can be absolutely legitimate and safe or even a fraudulent site.
If the security certificate had been revoked or was not trusted, it means that the site is not reliable or, worse, that it is a phishing attempt.
If the certificate has expired, however, before blaming the site, it is worth checking the date on the computer clock and making sure it is correct.
If on Internet Explorer all or many sites in HTTPS gave that security message relating to the certificate, it may be that the fault lies with the browser on which the list of trusted certifiers is missing.
To install it, go to this support page to find a solution or install the list of certificates from here.
READ ALSO: Surf https on banking sites, online stores, Facebook and others, with secure connection
