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Certificate from site is invalid and not allowed to go to it.

  • 7 replies
  • 11 have this problem
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  • Last reply by CJ

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I'm trying to get onto a site (in this case my employers training site) and fire fox keeps telling me I can't because "<site> uses an invalid security certificate.

The certificate is not trusted because the issuer certificate is unknown.

(Error code: sec_error_unknown_issuer)"

This is not the only time I've seen fire fox do this with sites that I know for a fact are valid, but this one takes the cake because it prevents me from doing my job. Honestly I wouldn't care except it doesn't even give me the "I understand the risks" option. Why on earth will it not give me that option? It does in other cases but not in this one. Why? The most annoying part is that it won't give me any problems with OTHER parts of the same site, just the one part I need to get to do my training. I've looked online and the advice is to get the certificate (I'm not even given that option, only the option to "get me out of here") or delete the cert8.db file, which I've done to no avail.

Is there some way to force firefox to let me go to this site that I know for a fact is safe?

As an aside, I know the issue is not with the site as I've been there with chrome and explorer, but it works better with firefox usually.

I'm trying to get onto a site (in this case my employers training site) and fire fox keeps telling me I can't because "<site> uses an invalid security certificate. The certificate is not trusted because the issuer certificate is unknown. (Error code: sec_error_unknown_issuer)" This is not the only time I've seen fire fox do this with sites that I know for a fact are valid, but this one takes the cake because it prevents me from doing my job. Honestly I wouldn't care except it doesn't even give me the "I understand the risks" option. Why on earth will it not give me that option? It does in other cases but not in this one. Why? The most annoying part is that it won't give me any problems with OTHER parts of the same site, just the one part I need to get to do my training. I've looked online and the advice is to get the certificate (I'm not even given that option, only the option to "get me out of here") or delete the cert8.db file, which I've done to no avail. Is there some way to force firefox to let me go to this site that I know for a fact is safe? As an aside, I know the issue is not with the site as I've been there with chrome and explorer, but it works better with firefox usually.

Chosen solution

This usually happens if servers aren't sending the full certificate chain (i.e. not all the intermediate certificate are send). Sometimes it is possible to install those intermediate certificate via other sources (Firefox stores them automatically if you visit a website that sends them).

If "I Understand the Risks" is missing then this page may be opened in an (i)frame and in that case try the right-click context menu and use "This Frame: Open Frame in New Tab".

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Chosen Solution

This usually happens if servers aren't sending the full certificate chain (i.e. not all the intermediate certificate are send). Sometimes it is possible to install those intermediate certificate via other sources (Firefox stores them automatically if you visit a website that sends them).

If "I Understand the Risks" is missing then this page may be opened in an (i)frame and in that case try the right-click context menu and use "This Frame: Open Frame in New Tab".

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This perfectly solved the problem. It is still a bit annoying that it happens but having a consistent work around makes things much better. Thank you so much for your helpful and quick response.

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I have the same problem as those above in the thread. I am on a Mac. I do not have a mouse that right-clicks. I do not find anything about frames in the application pull-downs and do not know what a context menu is.

Do you have a solution?

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I have the same problem. My OS is Windows XP. Like jmmell , I do not find anything about frames in the application pull-downs and do not know what a context menu is or how to use iframes or what they are for that matter. Please help. Thanks.

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Hi CJreef

Is this only happening on one web page?

Can you post a link to a publicly accessible page that doesn't require authentication (signing on)?

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It just started yesterday on a website I use all the time. It says the certificate needs renewal. No problems elsewhere. I need to do some work on this site today and I can't contact the business until Tuesday. Very upsetting that there is no way to by pass FF block.

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I have no way of knowing what public web page would not require authentication. I have no problem accessing any other page and as mentioned their certificate just expired.