Microsoft KB Archive/931850

Knowledge Base

Warning message when a user tries to connect to a secure Web site by using Internet Explorer 7: "There is a problem with this website's security certificate"

Article ID: 931850

Article Last Modified on 8/22/2007

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APPLIES TO

• Windows Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista
• Windows Internet Explorer 7 for Windows Server 2003
• Windows Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP

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SYMPTOMS

A user who tries to connect to a secure Web site by using Windows Internet Explorer 7 may receive the following warning message:

There is a problem with this website's security certificate. The security certificate presented by this website was not issued by a trusted certificate authority.

Security certificate problems may indicate an attempt to fool you or intercept data you send to the server.
We recommend that you close this webpage and do not continue to this Web site.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, an organization that hosts the secure Web site can purchase a certificate for each Web server from a third-party provider. Or, the organization can install a Microsoft Enterprise certification authority in the Active Directory forest. Then, the organization can use this certification authority to generate a certificate for each Web server.

Note Users of client computers that do not belong to the organization's Active Directory forest can visit the certification authority Web site to download the certificate.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, install the Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 (Windows SBS) self-signed certificate on the client computer. To do this, follow these steps:

1. In Windows Internet Explorer 7, click Continue to this website (not recommended).
   

A red Address Bar and a certificate warning appear.

1. Click the Certificate Error button to open the information window.
2. Click View Certificates, and then click Install Certificate.
3. On the warning message that appears, click Yes to install the certificate.

Notes

• In Windows Vista, the same issue occurs with self-signed certificates when you use Internet Explorer 7. However, the option to install certificates is not available unless you run Windows Internet Explorer 7 with administrator rights. To do this, right-click the Internet Explorer icon, and then select Run as Administrator.
• When the client computer connects to a Web server that is running Windows Server 2003, the client computer reuses the certification authority certificate. The client computer does not use another certificate that is signed by the certification authority.

MORE INFORMATION

A user may also receive a warning message when the user tries to connect to a secure Web site in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6. However, Internet Explorer 6 displays the warning message in a message window instead of in the browser window. In Internet Explorer 6, the user receives a message that resembles the following:

Information you exchange with this site cannot be viewed or changed by others. However there is a problem with the site's security certificate.

The security certificate was issued by a company you have not chosen to trust. View the certificate to determine whether you want to trust the certifying authority.

The security certificate date is valid.

The security certificate has a valid name matching the name of the page you are trying to view.

This issue can also occur if you connect to a Web site that is hosted on a SBS 2003 server. By default, SBS 2003 uses a self-signed certificate.

Keywords: kbtshoot kbexpertiseinter KB931850

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