Fix Your Connection Is Not Private Issue In WordPress

How to Fix Your Connection Is Not Private Issue In WordPress?

Tutorial / By

Among the multiple errors of WordPress here we guide you How To Fix Your Connection Is Not Private Issue In WordPress?

There are a lot of WordPress errors, which can impede performance of a website and hurt business or personal websites. In reality, there are many errors which are not the fault of WordPress itself. But rather the fault of website owners who fail to maintain their WordPress sites according to the standard WordPress recommendations.

Among such faults or errors that you may see constantly on websites is “your connection is not private”. Because Google Chrome sets certain security protocols in order to inform its users about suspicious websites that could pose a security risk. This error appears more commonly in Google Chrome.

What does the error ‘your connection is not private’ mean?

This discussion can be made more meaningful if we are aware of this error before getting ahead of ourselves.The majority of websites make use of insecure HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), a method for fetching data from a web server and showing it on search engines. It is possible that this data is not always secure while being transferred from a server to a web browser. This makes it vulnerable to hackers.

Although there are hundreds of ways for technical issues to harm the cybersecurity and reputation of a company online, “Your connection is not private” is the error message that annoys website visitors the most. A Google Chrome browser block occurs when the browser does not allow your visitor to enter your website because your site is untrusted and insecure.

Using an analogy to explain

Think about it this way – you own a house. Even though there is a big fence around your property, you are not equipped with an alarm system or even a dog to warn you in case someone broke in without your knowledge. Due to the HTTP protocol, the ‘your connection is not private’ error works in much the same way – it is basically an invitation for the hackers to come in and take the information on your server.

Visitors to your website can clearly see in their browsers this warning message which tells them to refrain from providing valuable information, such as credit card information, when visiting your website, resulting in loss of business.

The above simply shows that you should pay attention to the ‘your connection is not private’ error if it appears on your website. You may wonder how to resolve the ‘your connection is not private’ error on your WordPress website. The following section will attempt to answer this question how to fix your connection is not private issue WordPress.

Error Variations: ‘Your Connection is Not Private’

There are many different variations of this error depending on the type of web browser you’re using, the type of operating system, or even the configuration of the certificates on the servers. The troubleshooting steps for many of these errors are the same, although some of them mean slightly different things.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome displays “your connection is not private” as an error message if there is an issue validating the certificate.

With “Your connection is not private” error Google Chrome will also tell you that if you try to visit the website hackers might be trying to steal your information from example.com (for example, your passwords, messages, or credit cards).

Moreover, an error code message is provided which assists in identifying the precise source of the problem. Several error codes can be found in Google Chrome, just a few of which are listed below.

  • The NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID error code
  • The ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR error code
  • The ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH error code
  • The NET::ERR_CERT_WEAK_SIGNATURE_ALGORITHM error code. The NET::ERR_CERTIFICATE_TRANSPARENCY_REQUIRED error code
  • The ERR_CERT_SYMANTEC_LEGACY error code
  • The NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID error code
  • The NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID (When the certificate doesn’t match the domain, it causes this to happen).

Microsoft Edge

With Microsoft Edge, you will also see a message that indicates “Your connection is not private”.

With “Your connection is not private” error Microsoft Edge will also tell you that you are not connecting to a private network. The example.com website might be targeted by hackers seeking to steal your personal information (for example, passwords, messages, and credit card numbers).

  • Error messages are additionally displayed with these errors. A few of the most common error codes are listed below:
  • The Error Code: 0 error code
  • The DLG_FLAGS_INVALID_CA error code
  • The DLG_FLAGS_SEC_CERT_CN_INVALID error code
  • The NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID (When the certificate doesn’t match the domain, it causes this to happen).

Mozilla Firefox

It may be useful to note that Firefox’s error message differs slightly, and instead of “Your connection is not private” it will read “Your connection is not secure.”

With “Your connection is not private” error Mozilla Firefox will also tell that an incorrect configuration was made to example.com’s website by its owner. To protect your information from being stolen, they have not connected to this website.

The message is accompanied by an error code, just as it is in Chrome, which can help to narrow down the problem. Below are some of the most common error codes you will encounter in Mozilla Firefox:

  • The MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_MITM_DETECTED error code
  • The ERROR_SELF_SIGNED_CERT error code
  • The SSL_ERROR_BAD_CERT_DOMAIN error code
  • The MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_ADDITIONAL_POLICY_CONSTRAINT_FAILED error code
  • The SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_ISSUER_CERTIFICATE error code
  • The SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE error code
  • The SEC_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ISSUER error code

Safari

If you are using Safari, you will see the message “Your connection is not private.”

With “Your connection is not private” error Safari will also tell you that there is a possibility that this website is impersonating “example.com” in order to steal your financial information or personal information. They will also recommend that you return to their previous page.

Identifying and fixing the ‘Connection is not private’ error in WordPress

It has been previously explained that HTTP is one of the reasons why error messages of this nature are generated. When you use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), a more secure version of HTTP, you are extending the security and safety of your WordPress website. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is used to create a secure connection between the server and the browser using SSL certificates.

Exactly what is an SSL Certificate?

In web servers, SSL certificates are stored in data files. The system is configured to process padlock functionality in conjunction with HTTPS protocols to ensure a secure connection between the web server and the browser.

Describe why fixing the error message ‘Your connection is not private’ is important.

As a visitor enters your website onto a search engine, for example, Google,your search query will reach the server, which is working as a host for the affected website. After approximately halfway through, the browser verifies the SSL certificate stored on the site’s server in order to ensure that a privacy statement is being followed.  

There is a feature in Google Chrome’s browser which is specifically built to maintain your website visitor’s safety in case SSL authentication fails. That particular feature doesn’t let your visitors reach your WordPress website, if SSL authentication fails.In consequence, it will send an error message saying “Your connection is not private”.

It is therefore imperative to resolve this error for business reasons as it will result in a loss of leads and revenue for your organization.

There are several quick fixes for the error message “Your connection is not private”

We have some tried and tested solutions for you below that should fix this error:

  • Make sure your Internet connection is working – Internet connections at public WiFi hotspots are normally run over HTTP rather than HTTPS. It is very important that you remember that making transactions by using public WiFi is not at all secure. This is why you should change your connection from a public WiFi network to a private network and then try again.
  • Make sure that the date and time are correct on your computer – Google Chrome inspects the date and time of the computer or laptop to verify the validity of the site’s SSL certificate. So in order to resolve this issue, make sure that your computer or laptop is set to the correct date and time.

If you are using a browser, enable the incognito mode – You can browse search engines in incognito mode without having your browsing history, cache, and cookies maintained. It’s simple to use the incognito mode, all you need to do is to click on three dots in the top-right corner of your Google Chrome window and select ‘New Incognito’.

Use the incognito mode in order to access your website once again. In the event that it works in the incognito mode, there may be something wrong with your browser cache and cookies, and clearing these items will help you get rid of this security warning.

Remove cookies from your browser, clear the cache, and delete your history –  If you want to fix “Your connection is not private” error manually without spending a lot of time, you should start clearing your cookies, cache, and history on your Chrome browser first. It is highly recommended that you click the three-dots in the top right corner which will open the drop down menu and click on “More Tools”, then click on “Clear browsing data” and that should solve the “Your connection is not private” issue.

  • It is recommended that you reload the page – It may also be helpful to force-reload the page in order to fix the ‘your connection is not private’ error. At first glance, it may seem less practical than more practical methods, but it can be a good solution to technical issues in some situations.

If you’re having trouble loading a page, just close your browser, reopen, and try again. There was a possibility that your browser had not been able to connect to a website’s certificate, but now maybe it can.

  • Ensure that your OS (Operating System) is up-to-date – A recent OS upgrade is also an effective way to prevent hacking and to protect your confidential and sensitive data from being thieved. With OS updates, you are able to sync your computer with the latest security technologies for flawless protection, which completely eliminates the possibility of your cyber security being compromised.

Therefore, it is recommended that you upgrade your OS as soon as possible to fix the “Your connection is not private” error.

  • Your computer needs to be restarted – It is estimated that the majority of temporary caches do not get deleted and remain on your computer. They keep growing until they outgrow in number and negatively impact your computer. Therefore, it is good to clean up those temporary files and restart your computer so that this problem will be resolved.
  • You can temporarily turn off anti-virus programs and VPNs – You’d be surprised at how many antivirus programs create this issue (Your connection is not private.). You can verify this by turning off your antivirus program and trying the website again to determine whether you’re facing this issue again.
  • You need to install and activate an SSL plugin – Even though you have enabled your SSL certificate and it is functioning correctly, you must install and activate an SSL plugin on your website if you want your website to be secure. 

It is important to note that SSL plugins do work to protect your site from problems, such as Mixed Content, but they do not help you to prevent threats.

You can install and activate an SSL plugin by following the steps below:

  • The first step: You can find plugins on your WordPress Dashboard by clicking ‘Plugins’
  • The Second Step: Then click the “Add New” button
  • The Third Step: You will see search results if you click on “Search Plugin” in the text box, and write “SSL Plugin”.
  • The Fourth Step: Choose your SSL plugin and click “Install Now” after selecting it.
  • The Fifth Step: You now need to activate the plugin by clicking “Activate” once you’ve completed the installation process.

Also read- Easy Way To Remove WordPress Features Image

Where are WordPress Pages and post Stored?

Find out how to diagnose your SSL server?

There is always the possibility of running the SSL server test to check if the SSL/TLS certificates have been installed properly. You will keep seeing warning signs and error messages in your browsers if you don’t have these certificates installed properly. Alternatively, if every component is properly made and installed on your website, you’ll be good to go.

Our recommendation is for you to use the free SSL Check tool to diagnose the reliability and useability of your SSL server. Enter the domain of a website into the hostname field and click the ‘Submit’ button. Private results can be hidden at your discretion. The SSL/TLS configuration scan might take you a few minutes, but it gives you all the pertinent information about your site related to SSL configuration.

Mixed content issues need to be resolved

Despite the fact that your website uses SSL certificates, there is still a large amount of content that comes from non-HTTPS URLs. Eventually, web browsers start observing that the whole website has a high level of vulnerability after outgrowing it.

It will be necessary to implement the Plugin on your site in order to fix mixed content issues caused by standard encryption. Below is a list of the top four WordPress plugins for fixing mixed content issues:

  1. SSL Mixed Content Fix Plugin
  2. SSL Insecure Content Fixer Plugin
  3. HTTPS SSL | Force HTTP to HTTPS & Mixed-Content Fixer Plugin
  4. Really Simple SSL Plugin

DNS server problems must be fixed

In order to resolve the ‘your connection is not private’ error message, DNS servers must be corrected. There needs to be a correction to DNS servers. To begin, you should change your DNS server. In general, we use Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8) and (8.8.4.4) or DNS (1.1.1.1) and (1.0.0.1) by Cloudflare. We recommend you to default back to your ISPs DNS servers and perhaps it will resolve this issue.

If DNS server settings are not correct, you can fix them by selecting the option ‘obtain DNS server address automatically’ in the network connection properties of Windows. However, it’s imperative that your router is no longer configured to use Google’s local DNS server or Cloudflare’s DNS server.

Conclusion- Fix Your Connection Is Not Private Issue In WordPress

In conclusion, Fix Your Connection Is Not Private Issue In WordPress. Certainly, we are glad that you have come this far to learn, ‘how to fix your connection is not private’ in WordPress and we trust that you have found the correct tips and tricks to resolve this issue.

The error message tends to come up because of a number of reasons that we’ve tried to explain in plain simple terms so that you can do the fixes described throughout this blog post most easily.