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5 Ways to Fix the “SSL_ERROR_NO_CYPHER_OVERLAP”

If most of the online links are blocked, and you obtain the error code SSL ERROR NO CIPHER OVERLAP while visiting Firefox websites, there is an issue with a few browsers' SSL / TLS settings. To repair this error in Firefox, you'll need to double-check a few TLS/ SSL settings.


What is ssl_error_no_CIPHER_overlap?

What is ssl_error_no_CIPHER_overlap?

The ssl_error_no_CIPHER_overlap  error only occurs on firefox. This prompt is because the certificate verification is invalid when accessing based on the SSL protocol. Firefox cannot obtain security data from the target website. The most likely reason is when the SSL certificate of the target website expires.

This warning message indicates that your browser configuration could not interact securely with the server. It's worth noting that SSL and Transport Layer Security (TLS) is essentially similar.


Encounter the SSL-error-no-CIPHER error

This error code occurs when the server stops responding to the browser's request with appropriate security protocols, resulting in the web page failing to load. There are, however, some additional reasons that may cause this error, including:

  • Your Firefox isn't up to date, which causes issues while browsing the internet.
  • SSL3 isn't enabled in the web browser. TLS can sometimes be turned off, resulting in such an error.
  • This error will occur if a website utilizes RC4 as a protocol since Firefox has disabled RC4 support.

1. Update the Firefox Browser

Below are detailed steps for updating Firefox to the latest version. If the issue cannot be solved, try to uninstall and reinstall Firefox.

Ensure you're using the most recent versions of Firefox as the most basic remedy to this issue. You should regularly perform this to ensure that your online experience is seamless. To get the most recent version of Firefox, first, open it and follow the steps below:

Step 1: Go to Help > About Firefox by clicking the hamburger menu.

Update the Firefox Browser

Step 2: If any updates are available, Firefox should begin downloading them as soon as possible. When the download is complete, restart Firefox by clicking the Restart to Update Firefox button.

Restart to Update Firefox button

You can also go to the Mozilla website and download the latest version of Firefox. Before downloading it, make sure to uninstall the outdated version on your computer.

How to do it is as follows:

First, you must complete the following steps.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R buttons on your keyboard on Windows.

Step 2: Type “appwix.cpl” and enter the search box.

Step 3: In the program manager, find Firefox and right-click it to uninstall it.

uninstall Firefox


2. Confirm the TLS1 and SSL3 Encryption Protocols

Because some websites need the encryption protocols SSL3 and TSL1, users may see the message “secure connection failed” with the error code SSL ERROR NO CIPHER OVERLAP if these protocols are deactivated.

Even though SSL3 and TSL2 settings are no longer available in the current version, you may get around the issue by changing some authentication variables.

Step 1: From the menu button, click Security Options.

Step 2: Select the Privacy & Security tab in the pop-up box. Then scroll down to find the Security section then click on it.

Step 3: Untick the “Block hazardous and deceptive contentBlock ” box.

Block hazardous and deceptive contentBlock

Exit your browser and restart your computer after completing the steps. Restart Firefox and check if the website prohibited by the SSL ERROR NO CIPHER OVERLAP error code is now accessible.


3. Reset the tls Encryption Protocol and ssl3

If the issue continues, use the most recent Firefox versions to reset your TLS and SSL3 settings. The TLS and SSL3 protocols are required for connecting to some websites. You may be getting the “SSL ERROR NO CIPHER” error because you've disabled them. How to accomplish it is as follows:

First,  you must complete the following steps.

Step 1: Type “about:config” in the address (URL) bar to restore them.

"about:config" in the address (URL)

Step 2: Accept the risk and continue despite the “Proceed with Caution” warning, preventing you from accidentally making essential browser configurations.

Step 3: This caution is Firefox's way of prevention. Accept the Risk and Continue to continue.

Step 4: On the next Advanced Preferences page, type “tls” in the search bar: This will almost certainly provide a list of all your TLS settings:

tls Advanced Preferences page

Step 5: Check for any bolded values since these are the ones that have changed recently. To restore the default settings, right-click any bolder entry and click Reset.

Step 6: Then, repeat the process with SSL3. In the search bar, type “ssl3,” and then reset any previously altered values:

ssl3 option

Step 7: See to it that the following two entries are set to false as well:

security.ssl3.dhe RSA aes 128 sha

security.ssl3.dhe RSA aes 256 sha

It's crucial to keep in mind that blocking these choices is crucial for security reasons.

Make changes to the bold fonts. Bold fonts indicate that the values ​​have been modified recently. Set them back to the default.


4. Change the TLS Version Fallback

Although switching the TLS version to bypass is a great solution, it should not be utilized on every website. Here's how you can do it:

Step 1: In Firefox's about: settings section, look for security.tls.version.fallback-limit.

Step 2: Set the level to zero

Step 3: Determine the security value. The tls.version.min should also be set to 0.

Change the TLS Version FallbackChange the TLS Version Fallback

Step 4: Go to the webpage and see whether you can access it.

Your browser will become less secure if you modify these parameters. So, if it's necessary, go ahead and do it. After that, make a habit of resetting it. If the bypass option is not successful, there is another way you can try.

Alternatively, Following the methods below will allow you to overcome all encryption mechanisms in Firefox:

Step 1: Launch Firefox and put ‘about preferences into the address bar.

Step 2: Click on “Privacy and Security” from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Next, go to ‘Security‘ and uncheck the box next to ‘Block hazardous and misleading content‘.

Block hazardous and deceptive contentBlock

Firefox's about: config has a k-limit setting.


5. Use Another Browser

chrome or waterfox

Try to switch to browsers such as chrome or waterfox and check whether the problem is resolved.


Frequently asked questions

Below are some of the frequent queries many people may feel the urge to ask?

Q. What does SSL mean?

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) performs identity authentication, keeps data confidential, and ensures data integrity between web servers to prevent criminals from modifying the information being transferred.

Q. Will I encounter this SSL issue on other browsers?

Yes, you will encounter this error on other browsers. Similar error codes appear in different browsers, such as Chrome is ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH

Q. What does a CIPHER mismatch entail?

Because of this problem, your browser configuration will be unable to establish a secure connection with a web server that employs HTTPS and SSL checks.

Q. How can I get around the “secure connection failed” message?

To remedy this, go to the settings section of any security program you're using and look for the SSL scanning feature. Once you've located it, uncheck the enabled box.

Revisit the page after disabling the function on your security program. You need to take note of the insecure connection error message.


Conclusion

Experiencing issues, particularly with SSL certificate authentication or a failed connection error, isn't something anybody wants to wake up to, primarily because it might take some time to figure out what's generating it.

Fortunately, because you've read this far, you should be able to reliably assure that neither you nor your website visitors will experience this issue again.

Hopefully, the guide has been helpful. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the same in the comments section.