What does it mean when a Web site says its security certificate isn’t trusted I get this message from Google Chrome sometimes â€" is my computer in danger
Most sites that transmit personal data (like credit card numbers) between its server and your computer’s Web browser use encryption to keep the information secure. A legitimate e-commerce site presents your Web browser with a digital “security certificate†to verify its identity and distinguish it from a site created by criminals to steal your data.
A third-party company, like DigiCert or GeoTrust â€" one that the browser recognizes as a certificate authority â€" issues the certificate and confirms the Web site’s security credentials. (The system is not infallible, though, as certificate authority companies have been hacked and fraudulent certificates created.)
When Google Chrome gives you a message about a security certificate that it does not trust, it is because the third-party company that issued that site’s certificate is not one that Chrome recognizes as a legitimate authority. This could be because the Web site got its certificate from a lesser-known authority or because the security certificate is fraudulent. If you know the company behind the site in question and are confident of your security, you can proceed, but if you are unsure of the site you are visiting, click the “Back to safety†button to bail out.
