What is ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID? A Simple and Fast Way to Fix It

When accessing the web on a computer, you’ll often see the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error. At the same time, users will not be able to reach their intended destination page. However, you don’t need to worry too much because no matter what the error is, there will be a way to fix it. Right after this, FPT Shop will help users understand more about this error as well as a quick way to fix it.

What is ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID?

The error ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID translates to mean that your connection is not a private connection. This error usually occurs when the Google Chrome browser prevents users from accessing a website. The reason is because Chrome believes the website is untrustworthy and potentially harmful.

Typically, the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error is accompanied by the following messages:

• NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID
• NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID NTE::ERR_CERTIFICATE_TRANSPARENCY_REQUIRED
• NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID
• NET::ERR_CERT_WEAK_SIGNATURE_ALGORITHM
• ERR_CERT_SYMANTEC_LEGACY
• SSL certificate error
• ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH

Causes of the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error

The main causes of the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error are:

• Your SSL certificate has expired.
• During SSL installation, the user did not install a domain name for www but used a domain name with www.
• The user tries to redirect the website to HTTPS. However, the SSL certificate has not been installed.
• The website you want to access has SSL installed. However, for some reason, the browser does not recognize it or the web is marked with an invalid certificate.
• The antivirus software you are using blocks your SSL certificate.
• Incorrect proxy configuration on the device also prevents users from accessing the website.
• The old SSL status or browser cache still has a time limit. However, during the new update, the information does not match.

How to fix the “NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID” error

Now that you know what ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID is and the cause of this situation, let’s move on to the solution in the next section.

Check your browser

First, to help users not have to “jump around” to find a way to fix the error immediately, we can do a general check to see if your browser is having problems. In addition, using too many devices and browsing fever will also cause the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error to appear. 

From the visitor’s perspective, users can check if the error is caused by the browser or device settings by following the steps below:

Step 1: The user opens “Options” on the browser. Then select “Settings” to open settings on the browser.

Step 2: Next, we select “Reset and Clean up” to search for settings and reset the browser.

Step 3: Finally, select “Restore settings to their original defaults” to return the device’s settings to default. Now, you just need to select “Reset Settings” to start reinstalling your computer.

Reset your network settings

Resetting network settings is considered the best way for users to resolve the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error. This setup helps the entire network setup be reset to default as it was when it was first installed.

Step 1: First, open the Network icon in the Taskbar. Then select “Network & Internet Settings” to proceed to open the settings.

Step 2: Then, we scroll down to the bottom of the screen to select “Network Reset” to reset the network settings. After 5 minutes, the computer will automatically restart, so save any necessary content you are working on.

Turn off firewall on your computer

A firewall is a network security layer, helping to limit dangerous intrusions from the outside. However, this is also a cause of the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error. If you encounter this error, you can try turning them off.

Step 1: Open “More” in the Taskbar. Then select “Windows Security” to check the computer’s protection.

Step 2: Next, the user selects the “FireWall & Network protection” section and sees how the firewall protection mechanism is working.

Step 3: At this point, you need to switch each item on FireWall to “OFF” mode.

Step 4: When completed, FireWall & Network protection will turn red and have an X symbol. 

Set up Google DNS for network connection

Setting the network to Google’s DNS is also a perfect solution to help users overcome the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error. The steps are as follows:

Step 1: The user selects to open the Network icon in the Taskbar. Then select “Network & Internet Settings” to be able to open the settings section.

Step 2: In the settings section, select “Change adapter options” to perform opening the network input settings.