If your website is not able to load and is instead showing an error message, such as 'your connection is not private' or 'not secure', it is likely due to a missing SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer) or DNS problems. This guide will run you through the potential causes and how to resolve them.
Potential Causes
Security certificates require implementing or renewing
If you have completed adding the content and tweaking the design of your site and you are looking to take it live, therefore making it visible to the public, once your domain has been connected, the next and final step is to add an SSL certificate to your site. Let us know when you are ready and we will set this up for you.
If your site was previously secure and is now showing as insecure please let us know and we will look into this for you.
Out of date operating systems may start showing security warnings for websites that use Let’s Encrypt
Operating systems, such as MacOS, stay up to date by receiving regular updates. However, if a user’s operating system has not been updated for many years, it won’t be aware of the latest security certificates. In these cases, it may incorrectly interpret newer, more secure certificates as insecure, and the computer or browser will display a warning on many legitimate websites.
This is because an older and less secure root certificate used by Let's Encrypt has now expired and has been discontinued. MacOS El Capitan/Yosemite and older operating systems do not recognise the more modern, more secure certificates issued by Let’s Encrypt. They are therefore showing security warnings. You can read more about this here. This is an ordinary evolution of web security that happens once in a while and it’s important that users update their operating systems to remain compatible.
You should be able to update your computer to a version of an operating system that supports the current security certificates if your computer was new in 2009 or later if you use a Mac and even older if it is a computer running Windows.
What can I do about this?
- This is affecting less than 1% of visitors to Artlogic Websites. We believe that a small minority of website visitors are experiencing these warnings and we recommend they update their operating systems as they will encounter this issue on many websites, not just Artlogic Websites.
- Users can remove the warnings in their browser by updating their operating system. Keeping your computer up to date is crucial for the security of your data, so not only will you stop seeing warnings but can rest assured that your computer is also better protected against viruses and other threats. You can advise your clients to do the same if they are seeing the warnings on your website.
- You can remove the warnings for all visitors to your website by asking us to install a bespoke security certificate for you. An annual fee of GBP150 + VAT is charged for this service. Please let us know if this is something you would like us to arrange.
Other possible causes
Your site could also be displaying error messages if your domains are not connected correctly. We can advise if this is the case, though you would need to correct these issues yourself within your domain host.
Get in touch
If you notice any error/warning messages affecting your website, like the example below, reach out to us at support@artlogic.net and we'll be able to help you make your website visible to the public.