Website users find it annoying when they get the dreaded warnings and error messages. Google Chrome displays the warning “Your connection isn’t private” when it detects something suspicious about a website’s SSL/TLS certificate. But the root causes of some errors are still unknown, and the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message is one of them.
In Some Cases, Simply Changing Browsers May Be Enough
Users often complain about encountering the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR, even while accessing well-known and reputable sites like Gmail, Pinterest, Twitter, Clear Trip, and YouTube. This error can be eliminated by changing the security settings on your browsers and operating systems. Before we start, try these quick fixes:
- Open the website in another browser such as Firefox or Safari.You might have a browser security setting that allow chrome to access the network securely to the site via Chrome.
- In Incognito mode, open the website. If any cache memory or cookies cause the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR, you can easily eliminate the issue by using Chrome’s Incognito mode.
- You must ensure that your device’s date/time settings are correct and that they sync automatically. Sometimes, your date and time are not synced correctly. While there are no known causes, many users report that this simple step helped eliminate the “Your Connection is Not Private” error in Chrome.
- Open the website with HTTP:// (instead of HTTPS://). Double-click on the domain name in your address bar to delete the “s” part of HTTPS. This is not a safe option and we do not recommend it as HTTPS is insecure. Your data can easily be stolen by hackers if it is transmitted in plaintext (unencrypted). You should not share financial or personal data via HTTP. Don’t worry if none of these methods work. You can try each tip until you eliminate the error page and allow chrome to access the network. This list only contains one solution.
8 Quick Tricks to Fix the ‘ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR’ in Chrome
Security settings in browsers and operating systems are designed to protect you against malicious websites. Only change the security settings of your browser and operating system if you are certain that the site you wish to visit is safe.
1) Clear Your Cache Memory and Cookies in Chrome
Your browser may remember any SSL-related issues that were encountered on the website you are visiting. If this happens, it will showcase the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR in Chrome even after the website resolves the issue.
To see if this is the cause of your issue, try deleting the cookies and cache memory to allow chrome to access the network:
- Go to the menu (three vertical dots on the right side of the screen).
- Click here Settings.
- Search the word in the top search bar Security.
- Press the Clear browsing data Click here
- Choose all three options (history cookies cache, cache, and cookies) to hit Clear Data.
This is a screenshot of the Clear Browsing Data window in Google Chrome.
2) Open the Website Using a Virtual Private Network
If your government or internet provider blocks a website, or if the website blocks you, your browsers might show a variety of error messages (including the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR). You can still access the site using virtual private networks (VPN). To see if the site can be opened, simply change the default country within the VPN.
Note: This step should only be taken if you’re certain that the website you want to access won’t face any legal penalties from the government.
3) Clear the SSL State in Chrome
The SSL state stores the cache memory for SSL certificates that were installed on sites visited previously. If the website has previously used an unsafe SSL certificate, the browser might show the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR message even after the website has solved the problem. You can delete the SSL state to not only remove SSL-related cache memory but also increase your browser’s performance.
- Go to the menu (three vertical dots on the right side of the screen).
- Click here Settings.
- Scroll down to select Advanced Navigation in the right-hand direction
- Click on the System option in the dropdown. Open your computer’s proxy settings.
- A new window will open. Search for Internet Options.
- Click here Content Hit Clear SSL State.
4) Clear the DNS Cache in Chrome
Domain name system (DNS), a network of DNS servers that maintain an index of all domains and their IP addresses, is what a domain name system is. It functions as a telephone book. DNS connects a domain name to an IP address by writing it in the address bar. The request is then passed to the server. A DNS acts as a mediator between the browser and the server.
DNS cache is the list of websites that you have previously visited, along with their technical components. Your DNS cache could still contain information about websites that were experiencing SSL issues or have changed their certificate. The problem will disappear if you remove the DNS cache and possible to allow chrome to access the network.
Follow these steps to delete the DNS cache:
- Typechrome://net-internals/#dnsIn Chrome’s address bar
- Select DNS from the left-side menu.
- What it says Host resolver Click on the cache to access the Clear Host Cache Click here
5) Change Your Antivirus and Firewall Settings
Certain firewalls and antivirus programs won’t let you access sites they consider insecure. Security software can believe that a website may be insecure for many reasons. One of these is SSL/TLS certificates. This error can be fixed allow chrome to access the network by disabling firewalls and antivirus software. You can also search for settings that relate to SSL, TLS, and HTTPS.
Note: We don’t recommend disabling your firewall and antivirus software as it can make you more vulnerable to attacks. If you do decide to do this, please be cautious when accessing any website via the internet. Do not download anything from unknown websites or emails. Once you have finished surfing the site, make sure to turn on security software and scan your device immediately.
6) Disable the QUIC Protocol
QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connection), is a transport layer protocol that improves the performance and speed of HTTP traffic. It only requires a one-step SSL handshake process. It can cause issues with your SSL certificate if your browser is using it. You can manually disable it to see if that mitigates the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR.
- Search forchrome://flags/#enable-quicIn Chrome’s address bar, click on the Experimental Features link to bring up the browser’s page.
- The right-side drop-down menu lists Default Select Disabled.
- Relaunch the browser. While this isn’t an ideal solution, it’s been known to fix the issue in some cases.
7) Enable an Older The version of SSL/TLS
Operating systems and browsers block websites that use SSL certificates using older cyphers. These older algorithms are often vulnerable to security vulnerabilities, so cybercriminals could easily use them to intercept data transfers between websites and users. By disabling TLS settings, you can allow your browser to access these sites.
- Search forchrome://flagsIn the address bar
- On the top of the page, there will be another search bar.
- Search for#show-legacy-tls-warnings It can be disabled.
- Search for#legacy-tls-enforced It is possible to make it happen.
- Relaunch the browser.
Note: This is a dangerous approach, so we are only sharing it in an academic or informational context. It is dangerous. never It’s a smart idea to allow support for older SSL/TLS versions. They’re not recommended for any reason!
8) Remove Your Host Files
Host files can be used to block certain sites and IP addresses. If the host file has accidentally blocked the website, you are trying to reach, deleting the host file can solve the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR error.
- Search for the word “search” in your Windows operating system.C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
- Remove the Hosts File.
Final Thoughts on Resolving the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR in Chrome
I hope one of these tips helps you to get rid of the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR error once and allow Chrome to access the network. If none of these steps solves the problem, it may be more serious. To report the issue, you should contact Google Chrome’s support or website customer service.
Also Read: What Should You Do If Google Chrome is constantly crashing?