Google Chrome web browser checks the SSL Security Certificate of the web page the user is trying to access. If it cannot, then one error related to SSL Certificates that a user may face while browsing with Chrome is ERR BAD SSL CLIENT AUTH CERT. This can be caused by many factors, such as the computer’s Time and Date being out of sync, corrupted Cached Data, third-party software installed on the computer blocking the site, etc.
Fix ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error
The cause could also be at the website’s end. The server is rejecting the certificate the client website is sending. It could have expired, or the server may not trust its issuer. Nevertheless, there are a few things you could try at your end. To fix this error, we will be taking a look at the following methods-
- Update Google Chrome.
- Sync Date and Time.
- Clearing browser data.
- Checking and fixing any third-party software conflicts.
- Change TLS/SSL3 and QUIC settings.
1] Update Google Chrome
You can try to get the latest version of Google Chrome and have it installed on your computer. Check if that fixes your issue.
2] Sync Date and Time
Wrong Date and Time settings on Windows can cause conflicts like this. It* is due to the incompatibility between the SSL Certificate validation date and the System Clock. Hence, the user should sync their System Clock.
- Go to Windows Settings
- Navigate to Time & language > Date & time.
- Click on the Sync Now button. This will synchronize the Date and Time with the Microsoft Servers.
All you need to do is ensure the Time Zone setting on the same page is correct.
3] Clear browser data
There is a high chance that some browser data conflicts with the website’s loading. It might be a fundamental fix, but it can be highly reliable.
- To do this, open Google Chrome and press the CTRL + H key combination on your keyboard.
- Click on Clear browsing data.
- It will open a new panel to delete your browsing history and other data.
- Select every checkbox you see, and click on Clear browsing data.
- Restart your browser and check if your error is fixed or not.
4] Check and fix any third-party software conflicts
Third-party internet protection software like Antivirus can also cause this error. For some reason, it might detect the web page as malicious or with less credibility. Hence, this might be blocking the web page on your web browser.
So, to fix that, I suggest you see if any third-party software like VPN, Security software, or an add-on may be interfering and turn it off. You could also open your antivirus software and temporarily disable web protection to see if that helps.
5] Change TLS/SSL3 and QUIC settings
As a temporary measure, you may try disabling TLS1.1 and TLS1.2 and enabling SSL2 and SSL3 to see if that helps.
Follow the protocol fixes for SSL3/TLS and QUIC, which are some of the reasons for the error. If your antivirus or security software offers this setting, you may disable “SSL/TLS” protocol filtering and see.
How do I import client certificates to Chrome?
Open Chrome, click Menu, and then Settings. Go to Privacy and then Security. Then click on Manage Certificates. The certificates window will open. Click on the import button and add certificates.
Why does it say this site can’t provide a secure connection?
If the site cannot offer an SSL certificate, its certificate has expired, or it doesn’t offer an SSL certificate for HTTPS-complaint. While you cannot do much here, the browser provides the option to access it by accepting the risk. So make sure you only do it with a website you trust enough, even though it’s not recommended.
Are these fixes effective?