The Correct Answer and Explanation is:1
The error message shown is a “Not Secure” warning for an HTTPS site, which indicates an SSL/TLS certificate error.
This browser warning appears when you attempt to connect to a website using the secure HTTPS protocol, but the browser cannot verify the site’s security certificate. HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, is designed to create a secure, encrypted connection between your browser and the website’s server. This encryption is crucial for protecting sensitive information like login credentials, personal details, and credit card numbers from being intercepted by attackers. The security is established through an SSL/TLS certificate, which serves two primary functions: encrypting the data and verifying the website’s identity.
The “Not Secure” warning signifies a failure in this verification process. There are several common reasons for this error. The website’s SSL certificate may have expired and the site administrator has not renewed it. Another frequent cause is a domain name mismatch, where the certificate is registered to a different domain name than the one you are visiting. For instance, the certificate might be for example.com but not for www.example.com.
Furthermore, the error can occur if the certificate was issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that the browser does not recognize or trust. Browsers maintain a list of trusted CAs, and if the issuer is not on that list, the certificate is deemed invalid. A less common but important cause is a “mixed content” issue. This happens when the main webpage is loaded securely over HTTPS, but some of its content, such as images, videos, or scripts, are loaded over an insecure HTTP connection. This combination weakens the overall security of the page, prompting the browser to display the warning. Ultimately, this error is a critical alert that the connection is not private, and any data you share could be vulnerable.
