[Xenalyte]

Any ideas, suggestions, comments would be GREATLY appreciated. (I shall ignore all the "Get a Mac" and "Learn Linux" comments, since the discussions for them are that way and over there.)

[American_Centurion]

Try another browser.

If you don't have one download Firebird

If you still can't visit secure sites it is definitely deeper than IE.

[John H K]

I'll assume you're using Internet Explorer as a browser?

I strongly suspect the fix is simply changing a setting in IE "Tools" (at the top)...either Security or Privacy.

I think I had this happen to me for no apparent reason and I simply changed the slider bar for either Security or Privacy, but it was so long ago I'm not sure.

I'd try the Microsoft website and search for https and see what comes up.

[EggsAckley]

I really have no advice for you, but an observation; THIS page starts with http and you're here. Is that your home page?

Also, FR STILL seems a little glitchy this morning. Very slow here.

[Cultural Jihad]

Have you tried to make all your security settings default in IE? Tools menu --> Internet Options menu --> Security tab --> Default Level button.

A quick look in google for "can't access https pages" reveals a lot of hits. The top-most hit refers to a firewall/proxy setting problem/fix on the local PC.

[brityank]

If you know what secure port you're supposed to enter, try appending that to your URL. eg.: https://www.ebay.com:8080 The common ones are :8080 and :443 but I'm sure there are others.

[Notforprophet]

Hey Xenalyte, I'd check your IE settings as other posters suggested, also check the version you're using under Help --> About Internet Explorer.

Failing all that try another browser, ie: Netscape or Mozilla.

NFP

[Woodman]

I have about 40 PC's here running Windows XP with various levels of patches installed (up to today's MDAC hotfix) and we test using SSL. None of these PC's has had a problem in the last 1 1/2 years accessing any secure sites. I think that maybe you have a third party software conflict, or you have inadvertantly changes some IE Settings. I suggest go to Tools -> Internet Options -> Advanced and select "restore defaults" unless you understand what all the settings do.

[Cultural Jihad]

Another hit FWIW:

"Dont know about netscape but i faced the same problem in IE - solved it thus: tools>internet options>connections>lan settings>Use proxy server>advanced>Use same proxy server for all protocols that did it - the "https://" secure pages started sowing up. reÆó{s Vishwaneet"

[Cultural Jihad]

Another hit:

  I can't view secure Web pages

If you can see normal (http) Web pages but can't see secure (https) Web pages their may be several causes.

• Check the date and time on your computer. If your date and time are behind the current date and time then you may not be able to view secure Web sites.
  • Click here for help on how to check your system date and time.
• Check your proxy settings. If you are connected through a Local Area Network (LAN) then make sure that you have outbound access through port 443 for secure https Web sites. Please check with your system Administrator before changing any settings.
  • Click here for more help with checking your proxy settings.
    
  • Click here for more help on safe surfing.
• Check your Web Browser's security settings. For more help on Internet Explorer's security features click here
  
  
• Check that you are connecting to Xtra, and not using a Corporate VPN account.

[thegreatbeast]

I just wanted to state that I doubt that the problem is associated to security updates from microsoft.com. Try some of the good advice offered by others here.
Good luck.

[paul51]

Update to a current version of IE. Many secured sites will not allow access with outdated versions.

[The_Victor]

the non-secure Warrior Princess

Should this be the insecure Warrior Princess?

Please don't hurt me

You might look at your custom security options under intenet options for IE. I'm not experienceing any trouble with secure sites. So far this morning. I'll go check and report back, your Highness.

[Timesink]

God is trying to tell you not to view Weebl porn.

[humblegunner]

Are you logged on?

[KellyAdmirer]

Sounds like your port 443 is being blocked.

It might be an IE problem. First thing to check is to go in your browser to Tools/Internet Options/Advanced and make sure that both "Use SSL 2.0" and "Use SSL 3.0" are checked.

If you have any firewalls going, disable them.

Problems like this are frustrating. Sometimes they just go away, but if you've had it since August, doesn't sound likely.

Are you still using the same ISP you have had since then? It could be blocking the port.

Good luck with this.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

If you suspect that XP's Windows Update is the culprit, I have a solution when you get back up and running.

I do not use XP. I hate it. But I have a number of friends that I have set it up for.

The one thing you really must use is called XP Anti Spy.

XP AntiSpy is a little utility that let's you disable some built in update and authetication 'features' in Windows XP. It is a very small utility that runs as a stand alone and requires no installation and it is FREE

There are quite a number of settings in XP that allow it to "phone home" to MicroSoft and there are other settings that are simply a nuisance. If you like, you can disable these functions manually, by going through the System and checking or unchecking some check boxes. This will take you approximately half an hour.

With XP Anti Spy it takes about 30 seconds. Click on the link and give it a looksee. To download, look on the bar to the left and click "Downloads"...then click on "xp-antispy" then scroll down to "xp-AntiSpy English" (It's a .zip file). It's only 29 Kb in size. Download it and unzip it to your root directory then just double-click on the XPantispy.exe file.

Here's a screen shot:

[PAR35]

The problem may not be on your end. Apparently, a bunch of Verisign issued certificates expired very recently. Verisign/Network Associates is blaming its customers, and some of them are blaming Verisign.

Expired VeriSign certificates cause confusion
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/0,39020330,39118994,00.htm
"Users have experienced problems when accessing SSL-encrypted pages on sites whose certification depended on VeriSign's own expired certificates.

The company said that older versions of its Intermediate Certificate Authority (CA) expired on 7 January. "As a result, users attempting to establish SSL session with sites that had not updated their CA certificates may start encountering error messages," said VeriSign in a statement. "There is no security danger, and users who ignore these error messages can successfully establish secure SSL connections. However, sites should update their CA certificates if they have not already done so, to avoid user confusion. No action is required on the part of end users."

Also:
http://www.zdnet.com.au/newstech/security/story/0,2000048600,20282575,00.htm
The expiration of some of VeriSign's certificate-authority certificates last week appears to have caused problems beyond harmless error messages generated when users tried to access secure areas of Web sites. Security-software firm Symantec on Friday blamed VeriSign for problems with its security products that left users' PCs unresponsive and unstable.