How to Fix SSL Connection Error On Android Devices?

What Does SSL Connection Errors Mean?

SSL is a form of technology that ensures safeguard of traffic between devices and the internet as well as servers. It is supported by almost all the programs and Sites you visit on your Android Phone on a daily basis.

As implemented SSL relies on digital certificates so that the identity of either side can be sure and trustworthy. However, many things can go wrong during certificate validation and cause errors in ESTABLISHING SSL connections on Android.

You might use terms like: “Android SSL connection errors” or “Untrusted certificate”. These are errors that must be corrected to avoid such issues of instability, vulnerability, and limitations to internet functionality on your device.

Below is an extensive guide outlining the common sources of SSL errors on Android mobile devices as well as various steps that may be used to solve certification issues.

Why Fixing SSL Issues Matters?

Before we directly delve into how you can debug SSL errors, it is crucial to grasp what SSL connections are and why it is crucial to mend these errors for security and stability.

SSL employs certificates to set up secure connections between a user device and the Endpoint servers. This shields credentials such as login details, messages, and financial information and so on from being intercepted and hence visible to other users.

When the use of SSL interferes with something, they become an ordinary unencrypted connection again. It makes your data and activity open to surveillance or outright theft or even manipulation.

Another source of attack is with SSL connectivity issues where the attackers make fake certificates and emulate other genuine sites. People simply fall victim to the fake sites and are made to input their credit card details, passwords and other top secrets which end up with the fraudsters.

This way, your Android connections reliably remain encrypted and authenticated by using the proper certificates to any given site without errors. This helps secure your browsing and app use from the threats of public Wi-Fi as well as other security risks that may be found on the networks.

Causes of SSL Errors on Android Devices

Before digging into the resolution steps, it helps to understand the common reasons you may encounter SSL errors on your Android:

Expired or Invalid SSL Certificate

Websites and many other services utilize SSL certificates for making connections encrypted. These certificates are received from the certificate authorities and it is again useful for some time, probably 1-3 years.

In a situation where the certificate expires or is actually invalid before the renewal process is carried out, your Android device will not be able to build an SSL connection – this leads to errors.

Also Read: How to Check TLS/SSL Certificate Expiration Date?

Certificate Domain Mismatch

To utilize SSL certificates, they have embedded domain information and this has to match what is typed or input to the browser/app. In case there is a disparity – for instance the certificate states www. example. com but you try to gain access to example.com an SSL error will occur.

Incorrect Date and Time Settings

Unlike the common event, SSL certificates only serve for a given range of date. Certificates come with validity dates and if the date of the Android device is wrong, applications might not be able to validate the certificate if device time is outside the validity period leading to connection problems.

Outdated OS or Security Patches

Systems that run on older Android versions or those devices that are no longer maintained and have not received updates for a long time may not understand newer SSL formats or compliance. This is a potential problem when creating secure connections properly.

Connectivity Problems

Interruptions in network connectivity such as a poor Wi-Fi signal or restricted cellular data signal can negatively impact SSL handshake by causing the requests to time out. This alone then generates security errors that interfere with entry.

Malware or Virus Interference

This may be read as SSL connections on your device could fail due to the presence of malicious malwares that are on your device. Viruses can also alter primary device settings which would render certificate validation ineffective.

DNS-Level Issues

Issues with your DNS settings or DNS cache may have caused attempts to be made to communicate with the wrong certificates instead of the genuine ones. This leads to showing the certificate validation errors on Android.

Problems with Certification Authorities

Sometimes, the trusted certificate authorities that are inbuilt in your Android OS have problems that are of their own. This can cause failure in the verification of genuine certificates that apps / sites display- which results in annoying SSL errors.

With the fundamentals covered, let’s move on to the step-by-step solutions…

Multiple Ways to Fix SSL Connection Errors in Android Devices

Follow these step-by-step guides for fixing SSL Connection Errors on Android.

Step 1: Check Your Date and Time Settings

First and foremost, the date and time features should be correctly configured on your Android device. This might lead to an inaccurate date/time which can result to SSL certificate validation errors and consequently create problems while creating secure connections.

To check your settings:

• Go to the Settings and tap on System > Date & Time
• Make sure ‘Automatic date & time’ and ‘Automatic time zone’ check-boxes are checked.
• If turned Off, adjust the settings to On position and vice versa
• Verify if the Date/Time being shown is the current one – get to set it manually if not.

It is suggested to leave the automatic date/times toggles active although they are potentially problematic with certificates until they expire. If there is a difference of minutes or something like that then personally should adjust the time.

Some of these SSL errors may only disappear on their own if the correct date and time settings have been configured.

Step 2: Diagnose Your Wi-Fi Connection

Connectivity issues with a weak Wi-Fi signal or limited mobile data reception can interfere with SSL handshakes. Check if toggling between Wi-Fi and cellular data resolves the problem:

• Go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi
• Review connection details and switch to a better signal
• Alternatively, turn on Airplane mode briefly then turn it off
• Test if SSL error persists on stronger reception

Also disable Wi-Fi and attempt access only over cellular data – or vice versa. Move closer to your Wi-Fi access point as well for the strongest signal to rule out connectivity problems.

Step 3: Restart Your Android Device

Before getting into more complex troubleshooting – try the simple step of restarting your Android smartphone or tablet:

• Press & hold the Power Button
• Tap Restart when prompted
• Wait for your device to shut down and power back on
• Once restarted try accessing the app/site with SSL error again

Restarting resets network connections and replays any pending device updates. This can resolve transient SSL certificate issues in some cases – so it’s worth trying early on.

Step 4: Clear the Problematic App’s Cache & Data

Apps on your device locally cache data for faster performance. Over time, corrupted cached app data can interfere with SSL handshakes and cause errors.

To rule out this factor:

• Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications
• Select the Problematic App and Tap Storage & Cache
• Tap Clear Cache and then Clear Storage Buttons
• Open the app again to see if SSL error persists

Clearing an app’s cache and data resets it – requiring fresh download of certificates which may fix SSL connectivity problems.

Step 5: Update Your Android OS Version & Security Patches

Out-of-date Android software with older security patches can cause SSL issues:

• Go to Settings > System > Advanced > System Update
• Check for and install any available OS updates
• Reboot device and retry SSL connection

Updating to the latest Android version optimizes compatibility with revised SSL standards – resolving potential errors. Monthly security patches also update root certificates and critical fixes – so install these too if prompted.

Step 6: Remove Unnecessary User Accounts

Too many active accounts and syncing apps in the background can interfere with connectivity – causing SSL errors:

• Open Settings > Accounts
• Remove any unnecessary accounts like old email or unused social media
• Re-attempt SSL connection with fewer background apps

Deleting unnecessary accounts reduces the chance of connectivity problems – allowing SSL handshakes to complete properly instead of timing out.

Step 7: Reset App Preferences

Resetting app preferences clears any problematic customizations that could be interfering with SSL connections:

• Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications
• Tap the menu icon in top right and select Reset app preferences
• Confirm reset when prompted
• Relaunch the app and try again

Resetting preferences takes apps back to default states – clearing bad SSL configurations that may resolve pesky connection issues.

Step 8: Uninstall and Reinstall Troublesome Apps

In some situations, particular apps may have flaws in how SSL connections were coded within. Uninstalling then reinstalling them provides a refresh:

• Open Play Store > My Apps & games
• Find the problematic app and tap Uninstall
• Wait for removal then reinstall the latest version
• Relaunch app and see if SSL error persists

By fully removing then reinstalling an app cleanly, underlying SSL implementation issues can be eliminated – granting access again.

Step 9: Switch to Public DNS Servers

DNS-level interference could be redirecting your Android device to problematic certificates instead of trusted ones – creating SSL errors:

• Go into Settings > Network & internet > Advanced > Private DNS
• Select the Private DNS provider hostname option
• Enter dns.google for Google Public DNS
• Alternatively enter 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com
• Save changes and retry SSL connection

Leveraging public DNS services like Google DNS or Cloudflare bypasses your ISP’s server, averting any SSL redirections that may be occuring.

Step 10: Flush Your DNS Cache

Alongside the above step, flushing stale DNS cache entries eliminates any incorrect mappings that could be redirecting SSL connections:

• Open Command Prompt app on your Android
• Carefully enter the command: ipconfig /flushdns
• Press Enter and clear the DNS cache
• Close Command Prompt and retry SSL connection

Flushing DNS dumps out old entries and rebuilds fresh mappings, fetching proper certificates fixing SSL errors.

Step 11: Temporarily Disable VPNs and Proxies

Active VPNs or proxies can interfere with Android’s capability to validate SSL certificates – causing access issues:

• Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced
• Tap on VPN section and disable or delete VPN
• Similarly turn off any proxies under Proxy settings
• Test access again without VPNs/Proxies enabled

With VPNs and proxies disabled temporarily, SSL handshakes can complete without third-party interruptions blocking certificate verification.

Step 12: Performing a Malware and Virus Scan

Malicious malware or viruses may find their way onto your machine and interfere with the communications that produce SSL failures.

• Download a reliable antivirus application, such as Avast or AVG.
• Running a complete scan will help to identify potential threats and have them removed.
• Restart your Android device for a fresh start.
• Try to check back to see if SSL errors persist.

The removal of malware or spyware eliminates components that intercept web traffic and tamper with SSL connection setups. A scan with an antivirus is an important troubleshooting step.

Step 13: Whitelist the Problem Domain

If persistent errors exist with respect to a certain domain, the way to go about correcting the injustice is to whitelist that particular domain:

• Locate the problem domain from the error message
• Go to Chrome > Settings > Security
• Scroll down on the Security page and tap on Manage Certificates
• Set Trust for the identified domain
• Choose to trust the presented certificate

Whitelisting basically stores that particular domain in your browser trusted list-and therefore overrides any SSL errors that do occur due to some certificate failing to load properly.

Step 14: Perform Manual Install of the Security Certificate

SSL connectivity errors were caused rather by expired certificates on the remote server that had not yet been updated. As a workaround, you can do the updated certificate manual install:

• Get the updated SSL certificate file from the affected server owner.
• Go to Settings > Security > Install from Storage
• Select the cert file from downloads location
• Following the prompts, install the certificate
• Enable trust and retry failing SSL connection

Certs can be manually installed so that they are up to date, and you can just bypass the bad certs being served in the bad domains.

Step 15: Provide Debug Data to App Developers

Sometimes SSL errors occur due to flaws in how apps are coded, preventing proper certificate validation:

• Note down the exact error message and relevant details
• Enable USB debugging in Settings > System > Advanced
• Connect Android phone to computer
• Run Android Studio to capture debug logs
• Submit debug data to app developer/support

App developers require debug files and error data in order to troubleshoot why their apps are failing SSL connections. Providing logs helps them patch vulnerabilities.

Step 16: Contact Certificate Owners

Invalid SSL warnings may occur because the remote website or service has not renewed their security certificate. Contact them directly in such cases:

• Identify who the SSL certificate is registered to in error messages
• Lookup contact info for the certificate owners
• Reach out to their IT/Support team about expired certs
• Request that updated certificates be deployed to their servers

Having domain owners reissue fresh SSL certificates from their registrar will prevent Android devices from throwing validation fails when connecting to their domains.

Step 17: Switch to Alternative Apps or Browsers

If all else fails in resolving recurrent SSL errors on a particular Android app/site, switching alternatives remains an option:

• Identify viable alternate apps providing similar functionality
• For web access, try switches between Chrome, Firefox etc
• Download and setup the alternatives as needed
• Migrate usage away from problem sources.

Conclusion

For any Android user that is facing trouble when it comes to SSL connection errors, then following the above detailed procedures should be helpful in the resolution of these issues and maintain secure internet connections. Visit the CheapSSLWeb to protect your gadgets and information for affordable certificates for SSL.