Fix SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE Error in Firefox & Chrome

SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE is a common error occurred when you missed to renew your certificate and ignored website security. The maximum validity for which you can purchase the certificate is 2 years and an expired SSL certificate is an open gate for cyber intruders to capture the information easily. If your certificate is expired, then the browser (Mozilla Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer) will throw this type error.

Why SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE occurs?

Each SSL certificate has its expiry date and if it is not renewed on time then the browser displays an error while accessing domain name in the browser. Many best SSL Certificate providers offer early renewal benefits too. It is wise to renew an SSL certificate early to rip the benefits. When such type of error occurs, the browser shows “Not Secure” or “Warning: Potential Security Risk Ahead” or “Your Connection is Not Private”.

But if the SSL certificate is working fine and not expired then it may be the user’s system configuration error for which the user will have to follow the below steps to recover from this type of error.

How to Fix SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE in Firefox?

Once you get this Firefox Warning, there are few ways by which you can fix this error.

1. Update your System Date & Time

Incorrect date & time configuration is a common cause for such error, and you should fix it immediately by the below steps:

• Right-click on ‘Date/Time’ located on the taskbar & select ‘Adjust date/time’ from it.
• In the setting page, toggle it on to ‘Set Time Automatically’.
• Now, click on the ‘Additional Clocks tab for Different Time Zones’.
• You will have a new window where click on ‘Internet Time > Change Settings’.

• You have to tick the box against ‘Synchronize with an Internet Time Server’ option.
• Select ‘time.windows.com‘and click on ‘Update Now’.

• Select the ‘OK’ button.

2. Configure Security Settings

• Click on the Cortona Search box and write Command Prompt.
• Now, choose ‘Run as Administrator’ from it.

• Then type below details into ‘Command Prompt’ and enter after every command.
  • regsvr32softpub.dll
  • Regsvr32Wintrust.dll
  • Regsvr32 Wintrust.dll
• Once you click on enter, you will have a dialogue box on which you need to click ‘OK’.

• Restart your PC now.

3. Delete Internet Explorer History (For Internet Explorer Browser)

• In this step, type inetcpl.cpl in Run dialogue box (Press win+R).
• You will have Internet Properties window where you need to click on the ‘Delete’ button under the ‘General’ tab.

• You will have Delete Browsing History box where you need to check below things and click on the 'Delete' button.
• Temporary Internet files and website files
• Cookies and website data
• History
• Download History
• Form data
• Passwords
• Tracking Protection, ActiveX Filtering, and Do NotTrack
• After that Restart the Internet Explorer.

4. Reset Internet Explorer (For Internet Explorer Browser)

• You need to press WIN + R key and type inetcpl.cpl and click on the ‘Enter’ button.

• Under Internet Properties, click on ‘Advanced tab’ and click on ‘Reset button’ showing under ‘Reset Internet Explorer settings’.

• You will have a new window where tick the ‘Delete personal settings’ option and click ‘Reset’ button.

• Restart the computer finally.

How to Fix SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE in Chrome Browser?

Before going to fix this error, you need to check whether the certificate is expired in chrome or not or second with the help of  SSL installation checker that will give in-depth details of a certificate like certificate issue date, expiry date, issued to, issued by, SHA thumbprint details, SAN details, state and country of an SSL applicant, etc.

You will face anyone scenario listed below, after checking certificate validity:

Scenario#1

• The certificate is expired: In this case, you need to immediately renew it with an SSL provider as visitors may leave your site if they found it insecure.

Scenario#2

• The certificate is not expired: In this case, you don’t have to do anything but if you may still face the error ‘SEC_ERROR-EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE’ then below tips can fix your issue in chrome browser.

1. Continue to the Website with an Insecure connection (Not Recommended)

If you are sure that the website that you are trying to visit is safe, then you can proceed further at your own risk. However, this option is not recommended as it is potentially dangerous to you as a user. Your data runs the risk of compromise.

• Click on the button ‘ADVANCED’ on the bottom section of the error page.
• Click on the ‘Proceed to ‘website name that you are trying to visit (unsafe)’.

Make sure that whatever you do on that website does not involve you providing your personal details such as bank details, address, credit card number and so on.

2. Chrome Update

This error could be caused if you are not using the latest version of chrome. Therefore, you should update the chrome version.

• Go to the main menu on the top right corner (three dots) of your chrome browser.
• Check for Help option to choose About Google Chrome.

3. Clean Browser Data and Cache

The third solution is to clear the browser data and cache.

• Navigate to the main menu of your browser on the top right corner. It should be represented by three vertical dots.
• Click on Settings and scroll down to the last tab on the page Advanced >> Privacy and Security and click on Clear browsing data.

• Select the checkboxes of browsing history, cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files, then click clear data.
• Close your browser and launch it again. Check if the problem persists.

4. Antivirus & Firewall

There are few antivirus and firewall that could block SSL certificate. You can turn off SSL scanning in the setting of an antivirus/firewall. In case if there is no SSL scanning, you can disable the antivirus for a certain period. If the website works after the above setting, you can enable a virus setting.

5. Disable Extensions

Another technique is to disable extensions and for that, you can either open the New Incognito window or use keyboard and press command: Ctrl+Shift+N. Now, open the website and if it loads normally, you should now check extensions.

• To get extensions, please click on 3 dots on the right side of the browser.
• Now, click on Settings and choose the ‘extensions’ option from the left sidebar.
• You will have a window where extensions are there. If there are any security-related extensions, then disable it. After that restart the browser.

6. Date and Time

Sometimes, the wrong date and time can block SSL connections, so it is required to set the date and time. To do so, right-click on the date and time icon in the right corner of your PC and click on Adjust date/time. Now, update the date and time as per the current time zone. Now, restart the browser.

7. Use Command Prompt

• You should type CMD in the start menu.
• When opened, type TASKKILL /IM chrome.exe /F
• This will terminate all tasks of the chrome browser.
• Finally, restart the browser and check if the error persists or not.

8. Clear DNS Cache

To check whether the issue is with DNS cache, you should open the Chrome browser and write “chrome://net-internals/#dns” in the address bar. Then Click on Clear-Host Cache Button.

The above techniques can fix the error “SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE” if the cause is from your PC/browser. However, after applying the above techniques, if the error persists then it should be on the website’s end and you need to contact the website owner.