Have you ever been browsing online and clicked a link or search result that took you to a site that triggers a “your connection is not private” or “your connection is not secure” error code? If you’re not too interested in that particular result, you may simply move on to another result option. But if you’re tempted to visit the site anyway, you should be sure you understand what the warning means, what the risks are, and how to bypass the error if you need to.
A “your connection is not private” error means that your browser cannot determine with certainty that a website has safe encryption protocols in place to protect your device and data. You can bump into this error on any device connected to the internet — computer, smartphone, or tablet.
So, what exactly is going on when you see the “this connection is not private” error?
For starters, it’s important to know that seeing the error is just a warning, and it does not mean any of your private information is compromised. A “your connection is not private” error means the website you were trying to visit does not have an up-to-date SSL (secure sockets layer) security certificate.
Website owners must maintain the licensing regularly to ensure the site encryption capabilities are up to date. If the website’s SSL certificate is outdated, it means the site owners have not kept their encryption licensing current, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they are up to no good. Even major websites like LinkedIn have had momentary lapses that would throw the error. LinkedIn mistakenly let their subdomain SSL certificates lapse.
In late 2021, a significant provider of SSL certificates, Let’s Encrypt, went out of business. When their root domain officially lapsed, it created issues for many domain names and SSL certificates owned by legitimate companies. The privacy error created problems for unwitting businesses, as many of their website visitors were rightfully concerned about site security.
While it does not always mean a website is unsafe to browse, it should not be ignored. A secure internet connection is critical to protecting yourself online. Many nefarious websites are dangerous to visit, and this SSL certificate error will protect you from walking into them unaware.
SSL certification standards have helped make the web a safer place to transact. It helps ensure online activities like paying bills online, ordering products, connecting to online banking, or keeping your private email accounts safe and secure. Online security continues to improve with a new Transport Layer Security (TLS) standard, which promises to be the successor protocol to SSL.
So be careful whenever visiting sites that trigger the “connection is not private” error, as those sites can potentially make your personal data less secure and make your devices vulnerable to viruses and malware.
Note: The “your connection is not private” error is Google Chrome‘s phrasing. Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox users will instead see a “your connection is not secure” error as the warning message.
If you feel confident that a website or page is safe, despite the warning from your web browser, there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot the error.
Remember, you are taking your chances anytime you ignore an error. As we mentioned, you could leave yourself vulnerable to hackers after your passwords, personal information, and other risks.
Your data and private information are valuable to hackers, so they will continue to find new ways to try and procure it. Here are some ways to protect yourself and your data when browsing online.
As we continue to do more critical business online, we must also do our best to address the risks of the internet’s many conveniences.
A comprehensive cybersecurity tool like McAfee+ Ultimate can help protect you from online scams, identity theft, and phishing attempts, and ensure you always have a secure connection. McAfee helps keep your sensitive information out of the hands of hackers and can help you keep your digital data footprints lighter with personal data cleanup.
With McAfee’s experts on your side, you can enjoy everything the web offers with the confidence of total protection.
The post “This Connection Is Not Private” – What it Means and How to Protect Your Privacy appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Following up on our previous blog, How to Stop the Popups, McAfee Labs saw a sharp decrease in the number of deceptive push notifications reported by McAfee consumers running Microsoft’s Edge browser on Windows.
Such browser-delivered push messages appear as toaster pop-ups in the tray above the system clock and are meant to trick users into taking various actions, such as installing software, purchasing a subscription, or providing personal information.
Upon further investigation, this major drop seems to be associated with a change in the behavior of the Edge browser with two notable improvements over older versions.
First, when users visit websites known to deliver deceptive push notifications, Edge blocks authorization prompts that could trick users into opting-in to receive popups:
Second, when unwanted popups do occur, it is now easier than ever to disable them, on a per-site basis. Users can simply click the three dots (…) on the right of the notification and choose to “Turn off all notifications for” the domain responsible for the popup.
This is a great improvement over the previous experience of having to manually navigate browser settings to achieve the desired result.
Earlier this year, 9TO5Google reported a Chrome code change may be indicative of a similar crack down by Google on nefarious popups.
One can hope Google will follow Microsoft’s example to improve browser security and usability.
The post Microsoft’s Edge over Popups (and Google Chrome) appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Most every parent loves a new school year. Most likely because the beloved milestone offers us a clean slate and a chance to do things better, shape new habits, and close those digital safety gaps.
The hope that fuels change is a powerful thing. However, if you want to ensure your new habits stick, there’s some science you might consider. Psychologists suggest that to make a new change permanent, you should start with smaller, micro-size choices that will lead to sustainable patterns and habits. Micro habits allow you to take safe steps that are too small to fail but effective enough to generate long-term change.
Breaking down the task online safety into bite-sized pieces is a great approach for parents eager to put better habits into play this year. Establishing new ground rules doesn’t have to include restrictions, tantrums, or tears. You can start small, commit to work together, and build your new habits over time.
So often in this blog we offer a combination of practical digital tips proven to work such as robust password protocols, privacy settings, parental controls, smart phone protection, and social network/app safety.
Today, however, we will flip that approach and give you some foundations that will no doubt support and amplify your family’s daily online safety efforts. Ready? Here we go!
We’re all connected 24/7 but to what? Equipping kids to make wise decisions online begins with intentional, face-to-face connection at home with a parent or caregiver. When the parent-child relationship is strong, trust grows, and conversation flows. If and when a challenge arises, your child is more likely to turn to you.
Micro-habit: If your family doesn’t eat dinner together, start with one night a week (stay consistent with the day). Make the dinner table a no-phone zone and spend that time together listening and connecting. Build from there.
The new school year is a chance to get more involved with your child’s day-to-day communities (on and offline), including their teachers, friend groups, or hobbies. If you’ve been on the sidelines in the past, taking a few steps into their world can give you an exceptional understanding of their online life. Knowing where they go and who they know online has never been more critical, as outlined in our recent Connected Family Report.
Micro-habit: Does your child have a favorite app? Download it, look around, and understand the culture.
Summer—coupled with extra time online (often unmonitored)—can wreak havoc on a child’s sleep patterns, which, in turn, wreaks havoc on a family. If you have a tween or teen, ensuring they get the required hours of sleep is a significant way to keep them safe online. Think about it. Fatigue can impair judgment, increase anxiety, impact grades, and magnify moodiness, putting a child’s physical and emotional wellbeing at risk online and off.
Micro-habit: Think about setting a phone curfew that everyone agrees on. Giving your child input into the curfew makes it less of a restriction and more of a health or lifestyle shift. Remember, your child’s device is their lifeline to their peers so cutting them off isn’t a long-term solution.
With kids spending so much time on apps like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube, those platforms inevitably influence your child more than just about anyone. Be on the lookout for behavior changes in your child that may be connected to digital risks such as cyberbullying, sextortion, gaming addiction, inappropriate content, or connecting with strangers.
Micro-habit: Consider setting time limits that allow your child to enjoy their online hangouts without being consumed or overly influenced by the wrong voices. Apply limits in small blocks at first and grow from there.
Balancing your online life with face-to-face activities and relationships is a must for your child’s physical and emotional wellbeing. But sometimes, striving for that balance can feel overwhelming. Being too stringent can cause big plans to collapse, sending our behaviors in the opposite direction. Balance requires constant re-calibration and pausing to take those small bites.
Micro-habit: Commit to one family outdoor activity together a month. Take a hike, learn to fish, take up tennis. Make the outings phone-free zones. Be consistent with your monthly micro-habit and build from there.
It’s been proven that any change you attempt to make ignites a degree of friction. And prolonged friction can discourage your efforts to stick to new habits. Ignore that noise and keep moving forward. Stay the course parents because this is the year your best intentions take shape.
The post Kicking Off a New School Year with New Online Habits appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Microsoft has shipped an emergency security update affecting most Windows users. This update partially addresses a security vulnerability known as PrintNightmare that could allow remote hackers to take over your system.
PrintNightmare could allow hackers to gain control of your computer. This means hackers could perform malicious activities like installing their own apps, stealing your data, and creating new user accounts.
Microsoft recommends Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 users update their computers through Windows Update as soon as possible. Note that an additional patch will likely be required to fully fix the issue, so expect another update prompt from Microsoft in the days to come.
For extra protection against malware that may result from a hack like this one, we recommend an all-in-one security solution, like McAfee Total Protection or McAfee LiveSafe. If a hacker takes advantage of the exploit and tries to install additional malware, McAfee Total Protection/LiveSafe can help protect against those attempts. Learn more about our online security products here.
PrintNightmare exploits a vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service. The step-by-step instructions below will guide you through turning off the service to ensure hackers can no longer exploit the security flaw. The Print Spooler will remain off until the PC is rebooted.
Step 1: Press the Windows key, and type Services, clicking on the Services App
Step 2: Scroll down to the Print Spooler Service
Step 3: Right-click on the Print Spooler Service and click Stop.
The post Microsoft Urges Customers to Update Windows as Soon as Possible appeared first on McAfee Blogs.