SSL Handshake Failed Error: What It Is and How to Fix It
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An SSL handshake is just like a regular handshake—it symbolizes the agreed–upon terms between two parties. In particular, a web server and a web client (e.g., browser) authenticate themselves, define the encryption protocols through SSL/TLS certificates, and establish a secure connection between each other.
It’s a streamlined process universally adopted in most websites and web applications. Whether you’re shopping online, using your favorite app, or merely visiting a website, an SSL handshake process quietly carries on in the background.
Occasionally, however, something can block an SSL handshake, preventing you from connecting to your favorite website. As a result, you’ll see the error “SSL Handshake Failed,” which could be pretty frustrating and even alarming.
But fear not—although it may seem intimidating, the SSL Handshake Failed error is not as complex as it looks. Only a small number of issues can cause it, and they are easy to solve. This guide will delve into the “SSL Handshake Failed” error, its most common triggers, and how to fix it, so read on.
The SSL Handshake Failed error usually comes with an error message. However, this message may appear differently depending on the web server, browser, or web application. You may even see other SSL errors instead, like “Your connection is not private” or ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH.
Cloudflare users are more likely to spot the error when their websites suffer from SSL certificate misconfiguration. It’ll be accompanied by the error code 525. Here’s how it looks.
What Are the Causes of Handshake Failure
The problem indicated by the “SSL Handshake Failed” error is clear—the server and the client can’t establish an SSL handshake. However, you may have to do some digging to find the culprit. The reasons for your troubles include:
- Incorrect System Time and Date—The SSL certificates are time-stamped, so they have a limited duration. If there is a considerable time discrepancy between the server and the client, either party may perceive an SSL certificate as expired, therefore aborting the connection.
- Outdated Browser Version—Browsers need to be up-to-date to support the latest security protocols. If a web browser is outdated, it may not recognize the web server’s certificate.
- Incompatible SSL/TLS Settings—Your browser and the server must agree on a mutual protocol version. If both sides are configured to work with different SSL/TLS settings, they’re unable to initiate a proper SSL handshake.
- Unsupported Cipher Suites—A cipher suite is a set of algorithms that help secure network connections using the SSL/TLS protocol. If the web server uses cipher suites that are not supported by the client, an SSL handshake will fail.
- Problematic Browser Extensions—Some extensions can interfere with the handshake process.
- Overly Protective Firewall or Antivirus Software—Despite being instrumental to security, these applications can sometimes be too aggressive and obstruct the SSL handshake process.
- Expired or Invalid SSL Certificate—The server’s certificate must be valid and recognized; otherwise, browsers will reject the connection.
- Server Not Supporting SNI—SNI allows multiple SSL certificates on a single IP address. If not supported, web clients may not connect to the desired website and instead initiate an SSL handshake with an expired certificate installed on the web server.
How to Fix SSL Handshake Failed (8 Proven Methods)
In summary, an SSL Handshake Failure error could be triggered by various issues. However, they’re not that complex, and you just need to take a few steps to solve the issue. So, let’s get started with the most common solutions.
Check the Time and Date Settings on Your Computer
If your computer’s time and date settings are off, it could produce the “SSL Handshake Failed” problem. This problem often occurs when you’ve moved between time zones and your system time has not updated, creating a time difference gap with the server’s time zone. Thus, setting time automatically should be one of the first steps.
For instance, if you are on a Mac, open System Settings > General > Date and Time.
Turn on the button Set time and date automatically to make sure your computer time settings are correct.
Update Your Browser
Browser updates often include support for the latest encryption protocols and cipher suites. So, updating your web browser is often a simple and efficient way to get rid of the “SSL Handshake Failed” error.
Let’s take Google Chrome, one of the most popular browsers, for example. Open its kebab (three-dot) menu in the top-right corner, and select Settings.
On the Settings page, open the About Chrome section. Although Chrome updates itself automatically, there is a chance that a new version did not install properly. If you have the latest version, you’ll see the message “Chrome is up to date.” Otherwise, you’ll be prompted to install the newest update.
Check the SSL/TLS Version Support Settings
Cryptographic encryption has evolved over the years and has undergone a few major revisions. First, it was facilitated by SSL (Secure Socket Layer), which was then replaced by TLS (Transport Layer Security).
Major browsers (like Chrome and Firefox) tend to keep up with the latest security protocols, but there is an off-chance that your own browser might not support a website’s SSL/TLS version. This protocol mismatch in the client-server communication might be the cause of the “SSL Handshake Failed” error.
You can examine your browser’s default settings, but that will require a lot of digging in the advanced menus. A much simpler and easier way to check what SSL/TLS versions your browser supports is by using an online tool like the SSL Client Test by Qualys.
It will run quick diagnostics and present an evaluation of your browser’s SSL/TLS support capabilities.
Conversely, you can also test what SSL/TLS versions a website supports with an online checker like Test TLS. Enter the address of the website producing the “SSL Handshake Failed” error and hit Test TLS.
The tool will test the web server against all major SSL/TLS versions and provide the results in a summary page.
If the same TLS protocols are supported by the client device and the server side, you can exclude the possibility of protocol mismatch and move on to the next solution.
Check the Cipher Suites
Cipher suites define how data is encrypted, authenticated, and exchanged between the server and client. When the web server uses a set of cipher suites that are not supported by the client application, you are likely to encounter the SSL Handshake Failed error.
Testing which cipher suites a server supports can help you determine if cipher suite incompatibility is the problem. Online checkers like Qualys’ SSL Server Test can provide detailed reports on a server’s SSL/TLS configuration, including supported cipher suites. You just need to submit the website’s address and hit Submit. Then, on the results page, scroll down to the Configuration section where you can see the supported Cipher Suites.
If your client and the server use the same cipher suites, move on to the next fix.
Disable Browser Extensions
Extensions are great at expanding your browser’s functionality, but occasionally, they can disturb the SSL handshake process. Try switching off the installed browser plugins and extensions, as they might be the culprit causing all the trouble.
For Chrome, open the kebab (three-dot) menu, and select Extensions > Manage Extensions.
Disable an extension and then try to visit the website producing the SSL handshake failure. If the error persists, move on to the next one until you find the culprit.
Deactivate Your Firewall/Antivirus Software
Another reason for the “SSL Handshake Failed” error could be overly restrictive antivirus or firewall software. Try temporarily disabling your security software to see if it is causing trouble.
If that’s the case, whitelist the website address so you can keep visiting it with your antivirus and firewall software turned on.
Make Sure the Website Has a Valid SSL Certificate
If a website’s SSL certificate is missing or expired, the client and server can’t initiate an encrypted connection. Whether you’re just a visitor or the website’s owner, it’s worth checking if the certificate is valid to be sure that it’s not the reason for an SSL handshake failure.
A quick and easy way to find out if the SSL is in order is to use an online checker like this SSL Checker from SSL Shopper. Just type in the website domain in the text field and hit Check SSL to get a status report, which will show the expiration date, common names, signature, and other important information.
If everything lights up green, you don’t have to worry about the SSL certificate. However, if you see warning signs and you’re running the website, you’ll have to reinstall the certificate.
Check If Your Server Supports SNI
SNI (Server Name Indication) is a crucial feature in modern web servers, allowing them to host multiple SSL certificates. Without it, clients may be served the wrong website’s certificate, causing mixups.
To check whether the website’s server supports SNI, you can use Terminal (on Mac) or Command Prompt (on Windows). Type in the following command:
openssl s_client -connect yourwebsite.com:443 -servername yourwebsite.comReplace yourwebsite.com with the domain of the website you’re checking. The result will be information about the domain’s SSL certificate. If everything is okay, the details should match the domain name. Try running the command several times. If the server sends back the same output, you can be sure that it supports SNI, as SNI-enabled servers always link the hostname with the correct certificate.
However, if the result varies and you see certificate details for different hostnames, it means that SNI is missing.
Wrapping Up: Solving the SSL Handshake Error
The SSL handshake is a critical part of the encryption process that allows secure data transmission during client-server communications. Some misconfigurations can disturb this process and prevent a secure connection from being established, leading to the dreaded “SSL Handshake Failed” error, which can expose your online sessions and ruin the user experience.
This guide arms you with a fundamental understanding of the SSL Handshake Failed error and its most common causes, so you can swiftly deal with it before it causes any harm.
