Can't establish secure connection...

[MLGochnauer]

Mojave 10.14.2 (and current Beta for 10.14.3 too)

Safari cannot access numerous websites such as Netflix.com and Google.com. I get a screen saying that "Safari Can't Open Page" ... "Safari can't open a secure connection to the server ___"

Opera can access these website, but it exhibits odd behaviour with embedded YouTube windows, which keep reloading over and over again. Or that is what I *think* is happening.

This began after I did two things:
1) Use Migration Assistant to transfer email and settings from one MacBook Pro to another. (This first one had a damaged screen.)
2) Upgrade from Mojave 10.14.2 to Mojave 10.14.3 beta. (I had been using 10.14.3 beta on the old machine. 10.14.2 was on the new one.)

I tried reinstalling 10.14.2 (I.E. not beta software). That did not solve the problem, so I went back to the Beta.

Yesterday a new Beta version came out. I installed it, but the problem remained.

Any ideas???

 

[honestone]

Do you have these issues when you use another browser? Also, were things working fine with the prior OS you had (was it High Sierra?)? It seems that "some" folks here have been having issues with Safari and Mojave, but not with Google Chrome, Firefox, or Opera.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello,

Normally, that issue is caused by DNS issues - i.e. ISP DNS issues, custom DNS server entries in the Network preference pane, IPv6 being enabled, or third party software like antivirus/MacKeeper/Safari Extensions.

I would check those out. If you need assistance with any of those, just let us know.

C

 

[MLGochnauer]

Do you have these issues when you use another browser? Also, were things working fine with the prior OS you had (was it High Sierra?)? It seems that "some" folks here have been having issues with Safari and Mojave, but not with Google Chrome, Firefox, or Opera.

Chrome cannot establish secure connections either. ("Your connection is not private.")

Opera does not report the "secure connection" problem, but if I go to a page that has an embedded Youtube box/window, the Youtube video keeps reloading. On Youtube itself videos will play, but frequently the pause button will not work.

 

[MLGochnauer]

Hello,

Normally, that issue is caused by DNS issues - i.e. ISP DNS issues, custom DNS server entries in the Network preference pane, IPv6 being enabled, or third party software like antivirus/MacKeeper/Safari Extensions.

I would check those out. If you need assistance with any of those, just let us know.
C

My understanding of these things is pretty minimal, but... System-Preferences/Network/TCP/IP looks normal: Configure IPv4 "Using DHCP"; Configure IPv6 "Automatically" ...DNS/ no DNS servers are added to the apparently mandatory list (i.e. greyed out). No Proxies used or necessary.

SO: I get incorrect behaviour with 3 different browsers, and installing or reinstalling both 10.13.2 and 10.13.4_Beta makes no difference. I wonder whether there is a configuration or preference file for something in the OS that is broken. (This *did* begin after I migrated my configuration and settings from one computer to another.)

 

[Cory Cooper]

Try the following in  > System Preferences... > Network > Wi-Fi (assuming you are using Wi-Fi):

-Click on the network you are connected once in the left pane to select it
-Click the Advanced... button
-In TCP/IP change Configure IPv6: from Automatically to Link-local only
-In Proxies, in the box labeled Bypass proxy settings for these Hosts & Domains: make sure the following is entered (even though none of the options are checked): *.local, 169.254/16
-Click Apply and restart your Mac

You could also try power cycling your modem/router.

Yes, there could be a corrupted files somewhere that came over during the migration, but there are several things we can try.

C

 

[MLGochnauer]

Setting the network configuration as you suggested and rebooting did not change the behaviour.

I then ran Onyx to clean out or rebuild everything possible, just in case. Nope. No help.

I also cycled the fibre-op modem and the Mac wifi router. No help.

 

[Cory Cooper]

It could be malware. Do you have a way to download, install, and run Malwarebytes for Mac?

C

 

[honestone]

Yeah, I was thinking the same as Cory. You could also try the excellent program ClamXAv, which looks "deeper" than Malwarebyes. You can get (the new version of) Clam XAv from here:

https://www.clamxav.com/

In fact, it would be best if you run both of them, Malwarebyes first, then ClamXAv. ClamXAv might find other "nefarious" stuff.

By the way, I am using Mojave V10.14.2 on one of my external SSDs (in fact, I am typing this in from that environment), and Google Chrome works fine. In fact, right before I posted this, I visited Netflix, and it worked perfectly.

Also, as I mentioned in another thread, V3.5.4 of Onyx was released for Mojave. I just tested it, and as expected, it's fine.

 

[MLGochnauer]

I ran Malwarebytes, which found nothing. Yesterday I ran a complete Avast scan, and it too found nothing.

RE: Onyx . I used V3.5.2, which ran as expected. V3.5.4 is fine on my system as well.

 

[Cory Cooper]

OK, thanks.

You could try adding a test user account to see if it is a user or system issue.

Do you have a current Time Machine or other backup? Pleas make sure you do before moving forward with the suggestions below.

There are a few things we can try if you do:
-Delete and re-add Wi-Fi in Network preferences pane
-Create a new network Location in the Network preference pane
-Total reset all network configuration files by deleting a certain folder in the main Library folder

C

 

[MLGochnauer]

I used Malwarebytes and did a complete Avast scan a couple days ago. Nothing showed up.

I turned off the computer, and then turned on the Macbook Pro it is replacing (one with a splotchy screen surface). The splotchy 'old' Macbook is running macOS 10.14.2. It did not seem to have any problems with secure access.

I again turned on the 'new' Macbook. Now Safari could access Netflix.com. Opera was still having problems with embedded Youtube video (e.g. https://www.hudsonhenry.com/blog//on1-photo-raw-2019-released - - - the video on this page keeps blinking as the page loads over and over again). Chrome reported the same error it reported earlier ("Your connection is not private.") on its main page (www.google.com).

This is not the first time a hard reboot has changed the pattern of errors. This suggests to me that there is a problem with a data file (preference, configuration or something similar) that is updated every time a web-accessing process is run.

Whatever is broken is both deep enough to evade all of the normal OS housekeeping routines, but sufficiently non-essential or ephemeral to survive reinstallation of the OS.

 

[MLGochnauer]

OK, thanks.

You could try adding a test user account to see if it is a user or system issue.

Do you have a current Time Machine or other backup? Pleas make sure you do before moving forward with the suggestions below.

There are a few things we can try if you do:
-Delete and re-add Wi-Fi in Network preferences pane
-Create a new network Location in the Network preference pane
-Total reset all network configuration files by deleting a certain folder in the main Library folder

C

New user account: same problem with new user. So it's a system issue.
Deleting/re-adding WiFi: no change
New network Location: not sure if more is involved, but using the add button and so on did not produce a change in my basic problem.
Total network config reset: What folder is this? (Yes, I have access to hidden files/folders.)

 

[Cory Cooper]

Here's an article that explains it:

Easy Alternate Ways to Fix Wi-Fi issue on Mac - 1st Way – Remove Network Configuration and Preferences File from Mac

C

 

[honestone]

I again turned on the 'new' Macbook. Now Safari could access Netflix.com. Opera was still having problems with embedded Youtube video (e.g. https://www.hudsonhenry.com/blog//on1-photo-raw-2019-released - - - the video on this page keeps blinking as the page loads over and over again). Chrome reported the same error it reported earlier ("Your connection is not private.") on its main page (www.google.com).

Now posting this in my Mojave environment. Clicked on that link, and Google Chrome had no issues with it.

 

[MLGochnauer]

Here's an article that explains it:

Easy Alternate Ways to Fix Wi-Fi issue on Mac - 1st Way – Remove Network Configuration and Preferences File from Mac

C

Cory,

FIXED!!! I removed/reset the network config and preference files, but that did not help. Only then did I realize that Avast checks web traffic, and that might be the problem. Sure enough, when I disabled the "web shield" the problem disappeared. After uninstalling Avast and reinstalling a fresh version, things seem to be back to normal.

Thanks for the help... and I'm sorry it took me so long to think of what should have been pretty obvious.
Myron

 

[Cory Cooper]

No worries...glad you got it working again. That's why I mentioned antivirus in an earlier post!

Happy Holidays!

C

 

[honestone]

I'm also glad you got it resolved. Additionally, I actually have no need to have an anti-virus program "lurking" in the background, and running ClamXAv (and Malwarebytes) a couple of times a month is good enough. But what you found out about Avast is useful information.