How to fix ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR

Question

I have a recurring ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR .........securewalle.com sent an invalid response. How do I fix this?

Answer 1

That's good to hear. Let me know if there would be any other issue that I can help so I can assist you further.

Answer 2

Hi!

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR typically indicates that the browser attempted to establish an HTTPS connection but failed in establishing the security handshake between the site and the browser.

Given that you are mentioning securewalle.com, the first step would be to determine whether the issue lies with the computer or with the website.

You need to do 3 tests for this matter so we can narrow down where the error is coming from.

Test 1:

Try another browser. Open the website using another browser such as google chrome, firefox or edge.

If it fails in all browsers, the website may be the issue.

Test 2: Try another ISP/Network. Fastest way is if you have a phone capable of hotspot or can connect via USB/LAN connection so you can test the website that you are opening.

Sometimes company firewalls, VPNs, antivirus HTTPS inspection, or network filters cause this.

Test 3: Try another device. You can use you mobile phone or another laptop/desktop so we can identify if the error is device specific.

Let me know once done with the 3 tests so I can assist you further.

Answer 3

ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR indicates a problem with the HTTPS/TLS connection between the browser and the website. Based on the available information, focus on these areas:

1. Update Windows and browser

• Install all pending Windows Updates.
• Make sure the browser (Microsoft Edge or any other) is fully updated. Several SSL/TLS issues in Internet Explorer/Edge are fixed by cumulative security updates.
• For legacy Internet Explorer scenarios, Microsoft recommends installing the most recent cumulative security update for Internet Explorer via Microsoft Update.

2. Check TLS settings and protocol compatibility

• In Windows, open Internet Options → Advanced tab.
• Under Security, verify that modern TLS versions are enabled (for example, Use TLS 1.2 if available).
• ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR can occur when the browser and server do not share a common TLS version or cipher suite. For example:
  • If only TLS 1.2 is enabled on the client and the server does not support TLS 1.2, some HTTPS sites fail to load, as described for Internet Explorer 9/10.
  • If the server only supports weak or deprecated protocols/ciphers (such as SSL 3.0 or RC4) that the client has dropped, the handshake fails.
• Do not aggressively disable protocols or cipher suites until stable TLS 1.2 connectivity is confirmed, especially if group policies or security tools have hardened TLS settings.

3. Check security software (antivirus/firewall/proxy)

• Security suites that intercept HTTPS (for example, some antivirus or internet security products) can cause protocol errors if they block or rewrite TLS traffic incorrectly.
• In a similar case, access to specific sites was restored by adjusting settings in a security product (Norton) where certain protection switches had been turned off; re-enabling them allowed normal access again.
• Open the security suite’s settings and look for:
  • HTTPS/SSL scanning or inspection
  • Web protection / safe browsing modules
  • Firewall or proxy settings
• Temporarily disable HTTPS inspection or web filtering (if available) and test the site again. If the error disappears, adjust the product’s configuration or certificate trust settings rather than leaving protection off.

4. Verify site-specific issues

• If other HTTPS sites work and only securewalle.com fails, the problem may be on the site’s server:
  • The server might use an unsupported TLS version or cipher suite.
  • The certificate might be too weak (for example, RSA key length < 1024 bits), which modern clients reject.
• In such cases, there is no reliable client-side fix; the site owner must update their SSL/TLS configuration and certificate.

5. If using older browsers (IE 9/10/11)

• Some HTTPS failures are due to bugs in TLS fallback and renegotiation in older Internet Explorer versions. Microsoft’s guidance is to:
  • Install the latest cumulative security updates for Internet Explorer via Microsoft Update.
  • Ensure TLS 1.2 is enabled and that the server supports it, or that proper fallback to TLS 1.0 is possible.

If the error persists after updating Windows and browser, confirming TLS 1.2 is enabled, and checking security software, and other HTTPS sites work normally, the remaining cause is likely the remote site’s SSL/TLS configuration, which must be corrected by the site operator.

---

References:

• Some HTTPS websites cannot be displayed in Internet Explorer 9 or Internet Explorer 10
• Web browsers can't connect to a website by using SSL with KB2661254 installed
• RC4 cipher is no longer supported in Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Edge
• Secure Channel cumulative update changes TLS protocol renegotiation and fallback behavior
• protocol unsupported - Microsoft Q&A
• TLS requirement for SQL Server - Microsoft Q&A
• The driver could not establish a secure connection to SQL Server by using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. Error: "Unexpected rethrowing".), - SSL error - Microsoft Q&A
• Downloads fail intermittently in Microsoft Edge due to corporate proxy reauthentication and TLS session reuse failure - Microsoft Q&A