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How to Fix ERR_SSL_HANDSHAKE_FAILURE_ALERT

Resolve "ERR_SSL_HANDSHAKE_FAILURE_ALERT" issues by checking system date and time, ensuring your browser supports the latest TLS, verifying SSL certificates, checking server name and cipher suite configurations, and troubleshooting firewalls or Cloudflare settings. For detailed help, use SSL Labs to diagnose server-side issues.

For further assistance, consider using our free chatbot, specially designed to help troubleshoot technical problems efficiently.

Key Takeaways for Solving “ERR_SSL_HANDSHAKE_FAILURE_ALERT”

Ensure correct Date & Time on your device – Incorrect system time causes SSL handshakes to fail.
Ensure browser supports latest TLS protocol – Use browsers that support TLS 1.2 or newer.
Check browser settings – Plugins or misconfigurations can block connections.
Verify SSL Certificate – Certificate expiry or incorrect config will break SSL handshakes.
Test Server Name Indication (SNI) – Ensure server supports SNI, and hostname matches SSL certificate’s Common Name (CN).
Run Cipher Suite Compatibility Tests – Mismatch between server and client cipher suites can cause failure.
Pause Cloudflare if Used – Cloudflare misconfigurations can be a culprit.
Whitelisting Pages in a Firewall – Sometimes firewalls interrupt secure connections.
Use SSL Labs for advanced diagnosis – Get detailed feedback on SSL issues.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Solve “ERR_SSL_HANDSHAKE_FAILURE_ALERT”

The “ERR_SSL_HANDSHAKE_FAILURE_ALERT” error occurs commonly across secure connections when there’s a failure in the SSL/TLS negotiation between the client (browser) and the server. Below is the expert guide, which will walk you through troubleshooting and fixing this issue from both client and server ends.

1. Update Your Device’s Date & Time Settings

Cause: SSL/TLS handshake errors commonly occur due to incorrect system date and time settings. The certificates used for HTTPS connections have an expiry period, and your system must have an accurate clock for the validation process.

How to Fix:

Ensure that your system clock is in sync with the correct time:

On Windows:
- Open “Start Menu.”
- Search for “Date & Time settings.”
- Enable Set time automatically.
- Verify your time zone and date are correct.
On macOS:
- Go to System Preferences > Date & Time.
- Check Set date & time automatically.

2. Ensure Your Browser Supports the Latest TLS Protocol

Cause: Modern servers use TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3 for secure communication. If your browser does not support these protocols, it may block access to websites, causing SSL handshake failures.

How to Fix:

Keep your browser up to date. Older versions of web browsers may lack support for the latest TLS versions.

Steps:
- Chrome: Go to Settings > Help > About Google Chrome > and update.
- Firefox: Open the menu, then choose Help > About Firefox > and update.
- Edge: Go to Settings > About Microsoft Edge and check for updates.
You can also manually enable the latest TLS versions within browser settings if an older browser is required.

3. Check for Browser Misconfigurations & Problematic Plugins

Cause: Browser misconfigurations or faulty plugins/extensions can block SSL handshakes.

How to Fix:

Reset your browser settings to default:
- Example in Chrome: “Settings” > “Advanced” > “Reset settings.”
Disable browser plugins one by one to detect any problematic extension:
- Example: Go to chrome://extensions/, turn off all plugins and re-enable them one by one.
Try another browser (e.g., switching from Chrome to Firefox) to see if the issue persists.

4. Verify The SSL Certificate

Cause: An expired, invalid, or revoked SSL certificate can lead to an SSL handshake failure.

How to Fix:

Verify the expiration date and status of the website’s SSL certificate:
- Use tools like SSL Labs to quickly verify your SSL certificate’s status.
If it’s expired, the certificate must be renewed or reissued.
Ensure the server’s certificate matches the domain.

Note from experience: Certificates often miss renewal deadlines due to human oversight. Automating SSL certificate renewal can help avoid such problems. Solutions from Let’s Encrypt support automatic SSL renewal.

5. Check Server Name Identification (SNI) Configuration

Cause: Server Name Indication (SNI) allows multiple domains to be hosted on a single IP address. However, if it’s not properly configured on your server, SSL handshakes may fail.

How to Fix:

Ensure your server supports SNI and that the SSL certificate matches the server domain name (hostname and CN should match).

To check:
- Run a manual check using SSL Labs.

Pro Tip: Many third-party hosts (such as shared hosts) may require you to specifically enable SNI on your hosting package.

6. Check for Cipher Suite Mismatch

Cause: A cipher suite mismatch between client and server may also result in a handshake failure.

How to Fix:

Run a Qualys SSL Server Test or go to SSL Labs.
Compare cipher suites on both server and browser:
- Add or remove necessary cipher suites based on compatibility.

Expert Insight: Cipher suite mismatches may happen more with custom Linux configurations. Updating your openssl libraries and making sure configs match globally consumed cipher suites will prevent such conflicts.

7. Pause Cloudflare (if applicable)

Cause: Issues with Cloudflare configuration can also lead to SSL handshake failures. This is often due to misconfigurations in its SSL/TLS settings.

How to Fix:

Pause Cloudflare temporarily to check whether it’s causing the issue:

On Cloudflare Dashboard:
- Go to the relevant domain.
- In the “Overview” tab, click Pause Cloudflare on Site.
Clear your browser cache after you pause Cloudflare.
If the site loads after this, you likely need to review your Cloudflare SSL/TLS settings.

8. Whitelist SSL Pages in Firewalls (if applicable)

Cause: Firewalls or security software can block SSL page connections, leading to handshake failures.

How to Fix:

Temporarily disable your firewall to see if it resolves the connection issue.
If the connection works after disabling:
- Add the website to the firewall’s exception/allowlist.

9. Use SSL Labs for Further Diagnosis

Cause: Some handshake errors are due to misconfigurations on the server that are harder to detect manually.

How to Fix:

Perform a thorough test of your site’s SSL/TLS configurations using SSL Labs. SSL Labs will give you a detailed report of SSL setup and common issues like protocol version mismatches, cipher suite conflicts, or expired certificates.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Below are common questions users often ask when troubleshooting the “ERR_SSL_HANDSHAKE_FAILURE_ALERT”:

What causes the SSL Handshake to fail?

SSL handshake failures are typically caused by mismatched SSL protocols, outdated browser versions, invalid SSL certificates, or security layers like firewalls and Cloudflare causing conflicts.

Why is time synchronization important for SSL?

SSL Certificates have defined validity periods. If your system’s date and time don’t correspond to this, then the SSL handshake will fail as the certificate may appear expired or invalid.

How do I check my server’s cipher suites?

Use SSL Labs to check both your server’s SSL certificate and supported cipher suites.

Can a VPN cause an SSL handshake failure?

Yes, certain VPN services may interact with SSL connections, especially if they block or reroute specific encrypted traffic. Using a VPN such as NordVPN could help bypass SSL-related issues on restricted networks.

Is Cloudflare a common cause of SSL issues?

Cloudflare is commonly associated with SSL handling issues if there is a misconfiguration in the “Full” or “Full Strict” SSL modes, or if it’s caching outdated certificates.

By following this step-by-step guide, along with FAQs covered, you should be able to resolve the “ERR_SSL_HANDSHAKE_FAILURE_ALERT” issue effectively.

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