Security Warning, Re: Metafilter August 21, 2007 12:27 AM Subscribe
All of a sudden I'm getting a security warning every time I switch pages within Metafilter (i.e. switching from MeFi to AskMe to MeTa, etc.) saying "The security certificate does not match the site name" and asking me "Do you want to proceed?"... So far I've just been clicking out of it without answering (it wants me to answer "yes" or "no") but it's kind of freaking me out. I've been logged in all day, and it just started within the last 5 minutes. Is this happening to anybody else? I'm on IE7 with XP, if that helps.
lol Poolio... Well, thank gawd I didn't have to call my mesothelioma lawyers (who have settled for "meeeleeons of dollars" in previous suits) because I closed my window and opened it again, and the problem seems to be gone (fingers crossed)... Sorry I didn't just email this to an admin, I was freaked out and wondering if it was happening to anyone else.
posted by amyms at 12:34 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by amyms at 12:34 AM on August 21, 2007
P.S. Admins, please feel free to close this if no one else if having trouble (I don't know what was causing it for me, but it seems to be over now).
posted by amyms at 12:40 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by amyms at 12:40 AM on August 21, 2007
Oops, I spoke too soon... It just happened again when I clicked over to AskMe. It is just me?
posted by amyms at 12:44 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by amyms at 12:44 AM on August 21, 2007
It's not doing it to me. You might have picked up some malware.
posted by ikkyu2 at 12:54 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by ikkyu2 at 12:54 AM on August 21, 2007
ikkyu2, I wondered about that, and I ran a scan. Everything's okay, it's only happening at Metafilter.
posted by amyms at 12:58 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by amyms at 12:58 AM on August 21, 2007
Update: Okay, I restarted and it's stopped again (fingers crossed)... Geez, I feel like an idiot for even starting this thread, but thanks Poolio and ikkyu2.
posted by amyms at 1:18 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by amyms at 1:18 AM on August 21, 2007
Is there a way to see what site name the certificate is not matching? As far as I can tell, there aren't any https resources on a typical mefi page.
(Needless to say, I'm not getting this either — probably because I always keep my mesothelioma insurance up-to-date.)
posted by hattifattener at 1:19 AM on August 21, 2007
(Needless to say, I'm not getting this either — probably because I always keep my mesothelioma insurance up-to-date.)
posted by hattifattener at 1:19 AM on August 21, 2007
Right, find out what on the page is trying to load a https resource. I didn't think metafilter used any SSL pages, but it might be one of the ad networks or something.
posted by Rhomboid at 3:01 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by Rhomboid at 3:01 AM on August 21, 2007
if you can be freaked out by a web browser warning, then freaked out must not mean what you think it means.
posted by quonsar at 4:02 AM on August 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by quonsar at 4:02 AM on August 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
watch out for the sharp corners, q.
posted by taz at 4:33 AM on August 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by taz at 4:33 AM on August 21, 2007 [1 favorite]
C'est chic!
posted by soundofsuburbia at 5:46 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by soundofsuburbia at 5:46 AM on August 21, 2007
q: that users click through certificate errors is why authentication doesn't work.
It should offer to show you a detailed expansion of the certificate that isn't matching. There should be a lock icon on the edge of the address bar, which will offer the information. Email it to the admins, since it may be a weird thing with IE7. Try it in firefox, and check another site that uses SSL. If you're getting persistent certificate errors, I'd avoid using your browser for commerce, etc. until you get it fixed.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 6:10 AM on August 21, 2007
It should offer to show you a detailed expansion of the certificate that isn't matching. There should be a lock icon on the edge of the address bar, which will offer the information. Email it to the admins, since it may be a weird thing with IE7. Try it in firefox, and check another site that uses SSL. If you're getting persistent certificate errors, I'd avoid using your browser for commerce, etc. until you get it fixed.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 6:10 AM on August 21, 2007
Do your feet smell?
posted by flabdablet at 6:10 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by flabdablet at 6:10 AM on August 21, 2007
q, there used to be a point, or at least some humor, to your snarks. Now you're starting to look just like a run-of-the-mill internet fuckwad. You don't want to be that, do you?
posted by languagehat at 6:40 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by languagehat at 6:40 AM on August 21, 2007
It's not happening in XP with Firefox 2.0.0.6. This is kind of obvious, but have you recently installed any add-ons to IE7?
posted by oddman at 6:47 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by oddman at 6:47 AM on August 21, 2007
weird, there shouldn't be any https resources at all. Is there any sort of Page Info type feature in IE7 that shows you every URL being loaded (or some additional info on the "certificate").
posted by mathowie (staff) at 7:47 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by mathowie (staff) at 7:47 AM on August 21, 2007
just like a run-of-the-mill internet fuckwad.
SHITCOCK
posted by quonsar at 10:06 AM on August 21, 2007
SHITCOCK
posted by quonsar at 10:06 AM on August 21, 2007
Is there any sort of Page Info type feature in IE7 that shows you every URL being loaded (or some additional info on the "certificate").
Short of that, this tool might help you at least figure out the site it's trying to connect to over https, when this happens. But barring that, go with a robot made out of meat's suggestion to get more information about the certificate it's complaining about.
posted by Brak at 11:07 AM on August 21, 2007
Short of that, this tool might help you at least figure out the site it's trying to connect to over https, when this happens. But barring that, go with a robot made out of meat's suggestion to get more information about the certificate it's complaining about.
posted by Brak at 11:07 AM on August 21, 2007
Sorry, I didn't click on anything within the error message box to find out more info. I just used the "x" to get out of it. But, it stopped happening before I went to bed last night (after I restarted) and it hasn't happened at all today, so it must have just been a coincidence that it was happening on Metafilter. *embarrassed face*
quonsar said: if you can be freaked out by a web browser warning, then freaked out must not mean what you think it means.
Yeah yeah yeah, it means what I think it means. I was just being overly dramatic. All part of my cunning plan to give people something to snark about, but you figured me out.
posted by amyms at 11:38 AM on August 21, 2007
quonsar said: if you can be freaked out by a web browser warning, then freaked out must not mean what you think it means.
Yeah yeah yeah, it means what I think it means. I was just being overly dramatic. All part of my cunning plan to give people something to snark about, but you figured me out.
posted by amyms at 11:38 AM on August 21, 2007
Ah, drama, see thats the problem quonsar is blind to such things
posted by edgeways at 11:59 AM on August 21, 2007
posted by edgeways at 11:59 AM on August 21, 2007
Go take a look at hotmail. I'll bet it was your hotmail.
posted by carsonb at 8:03 PM on August 21, 2007
posted by carsonb at 8:03 PM on August 21, 2007
Ok, today on firefox while viewing ask/talk and ONLY those two pages I got a similar error regarding a bad "google-analytics" certificate. Being brilliantly designed, it refused to allow me to copy the certificate information at once. I'll look for an error log.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 6:50 AM on August 22, 2007
posted by a robot made out of meat at 6:50 AM on August 22, 2007
Sorry to revisit this, but I just got the security warning again when I clicked on MetaTalk. I did a Print Screen and saved the screen capture. Now, how do I show it to you?
posted by amyms at 3:42 PM on August 22, 2007
posted by amyms at 3:42 PM on August 22, 2007
amyms, you'll have to upload the picture you saved to a website - flickr, or some such - and then link to it. I'd offer to have you email it to me, but I let my flickr account expire and I'm not in the know on other free picture-hosting services right now, either. Sorry.
posted by yhbc at 7:36 PM on August 22, 2007
posted by yhbc at 7:36 PM on August 22, 2007
Thanks yhbc and flabdablet... I uploaded it to photobucket here. It's hard to read, but here's what it says:
Information you exchange with this site cannot be viewed or changed by others. However, there is a problem with the site's security certificate.
The next two lines are indicating things that are okay, then there is the "error message," which reads:
The name on the security certificate is invalid or does not match the name of the site.
Then it says: Do you want to proceed? and gives me the choices of Yes No or View Certificate.
Of course, now that I asked about it again, and posted a screen capture, it has stopped popping up... But does anyone have any advice on what to do the next time it pops up (I suspect I should choose "View Certificate") or what might be causing it?
posted by amyms at 8:21 PM on August 22, 2007
Information you exchange with this site cannot be viewed or changed by others. However, there is a problem with the site's security certificate.
The next two lines are indicating things that are okay, then there is the "error message," which reads:
The name on the security certificate is invalid or does not match the name of the site.
Then it says: Do you want to proceed? and gives me the choices of Yes No or View Certificate.
Of course, now that I asked about it again, and posted a screen capture, it has stopped popping up... But does anyone have any advice on what to do the next time it pops up (I suspect I should choose "View Certificate") or what might be causing it?
posted by amyms at 8:21 PM on August 22, 2007
View Certificate will tell you which site issued the certificate it's complaining about, which will probably give you a clue what's going on.
I'd be looking sideways at Messenger, personally.
Also, that's the most IE6-looking IE7 I've ever seen.
posted by flabdablet at 10:51 PM on August 22, 2007
I'd be looking sideways at Messenger, personally.
Also, that's the most IE6-looking IE7 I've ever seen.
posted by flabdablet at 10:51 PM on August 22, 2007
Thanks flabdablet. I'll click on "view certificate" next time it happens (which it hasn't since I posted the pic, ugh)...
I'd be looking sideways at Messenger, personally.
I'm pretty sure it wasn't related to Messenger (although my Messenger was "active" when I captured the screen shot, I was in "away" mode and none of my contacts were online or communicating with me). The "warning" only happens (albeit intermittently) when I'm within Metafilter.
posted by amyms at 11:05 PM on August 22, 2007
I'd be looking sideways at Messenger, personally.
I'm pretty sure it wasn't related to Messenger (although my Messenger was "active" when I captured the screen shot, I was in "away" mode and none of my contacts were online or communicating with me). The "warning" only happens (albeit intermittently) when I'm within Metafilter.
posted by amyms at 11:05 PM on August 22, 2007
Does it happen when you're logged in, or only if you log out?
If it only happens when you're logged out, my next best bet is an advertiser.
posted by flabdablet at 11:26 PM on August 22, 2007
If it only happens when you're logged out, my next best bet is an advertiser.
posted by flabdablet at 11:26 PM on August 22, 2007
Scratch that. Your screenshot shows you logged in.
The weird thing is, the site you're looking at is http://metatalk.metafilter.com, not https://anything. On the face of it, your browser shouldn't be seeing a security certificate in the first place.
If viewing the certificate doesn't spill the beans, the next thing to do is install Wireshark and find out exactly how it's arriving.
posted by flabdablet at 11:31 PM on August 22, 2007
The weird thing is, the site you're looking at is http://metatalk.metafilter.com, not https://anything. On the face of it, your browser shouldn't be seeing a security certificate in the first place.
If viewing the certificate doesn't spill the beans, the next thing to do is install Wireshark and find out exactly how it's arriving.
posted by flabdablet at 11:31 PM on August 22, 2007
I will click to view the certificate if it happens again (which is hasn't since I revived this MeTa thread)... Thanks, flabdablet.
posted by amyms at 12:16 AM on August 23, 2007
posted by amyms at 12:16 AM on August 23, 2007
Okay, it happened again just a few minutes ago when I clicked on a question in AskMe. I viewed the certificate and posted a screen capture here.
It says that the certificate is issued to Google, but why is the popup warning only happening on Metafilter sites (and only very intermittently)? I didn't have any other windows open, and I hadn't clicked on any links within the AskMe question.
Should I continue to ignore it when it happens (clicking the "x" to close the popup) or is there something else I need to do?
posted by amyms at 4:54 PM on August 23, 2007
It says that the certificate is issued to Google, but why is the popup warning only happening on Metafilter sites (and only very intermittently)? I didn't have any other windows open, and I hadn't clicked on any links within the AskMe question.
Should I continue to ignore it when it happens (clicking the "x" to close the popup) or is there something else I need to do?
posted by amyms at 4:54 PM on August 23, 2007
I'm getting this security certificate warning as well. XP/FF2.0
posted by sciurus at 5:23 PM on August 23, 2007
posted by sciurus at 5:23 PM on August 23, 2007
Clicking on the Details tab would give you more details. But it looks to me as if, on the affected pages, there's probably some advertising content being pulled from a secured Google site that isn't www.google.com, but (slackly) uses a www.google.com security certificate.
Dismissing the popup should result in that content not being displayed; if it's only advertising, this should cause you no problem.
If you're curious enough to track down which site is involved, and you'd rather just let your browser establish a secured connection to that site than pester you with popups, then clicking Install Certificate should make that happen.
Or, you could switch to a proper browser, install the Adblock Plus 0.5.x and Adblock Filterset.G Updater extensions, and never be troubled by advertising or advertising-related crap ever again (sorry Matt).
posted by flabdablet at 6:32 PM on August 23, 2007
Dismissing the popup should result in that content not being displayed; if it's only advertising, this should cause you no problem.
If you're curious enough to track down which site is involved, and you'd rather just let your browser establish a secured connection to that site than pester you with popups, then clicking Install Certificate should make that happen.
Or, you could switch to a proper browser, install the Adblock Plus 0.5.x and Adblock Filterset.G Updater extensions, and never be troubled by advertising or advertising-related crap ever again (sorry Matt).
posted by flabdablet at 6:32 PM on August 23, 2007
I'm pretty sure it has to do with the google analytics urchin hook. It gives the usual hoo-ha about unmatching certs and the two culprits are google analytics and google respectively. Still seems intermittent. I'm guessing they have the wrong certificate on one of the analytics servers or something.
posted by sciurus at 6:47 PM on August 23, 2007
posted by sciurus at 6:47 PM on August 23, 2007
If it's Google Analytics causing the trouble, that would explain why I never see it; I have NoScript installed, and google-analytics.com is not in my whitelist.
posted by flabdablet at 6:56 PM on August 23, 2007
posted by flabdablet at 6:56 PM on August 23, 2007
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posted by Poolio at 12:30 AM on August 21, 2007 [2 favorites]