Event 1033 - Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Vista
HTTPS uses encryption to secure your Internet traffic to protect it from snooping or tampering by others on the network. HTTPS uses either the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols to protect data. To improve security, Windows® Internet Explorer® automatically blocks navigation to any HTTPS site with invalid or erroneous security certificates. This protocol reduces the likelihood of someone taking advantage of configuration or protocol weaknesses to intercept or to modify Web traffic that is transferred by using the HTTPS protocol. New error pages provide a simplified user experience, which also helps to reduce social engineering and phishing attacks.
As a user, network administrator, or Web site developer using Internet Explorer, you might experience the compatibility impact of HTTPS security improvements in the following ways:
Symptom | Cause |
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An error page appears when viewing a site configured to use only the SSL 2.0 protocol. |
Windows Internet Explorer 8 automatically disables the SSL 2.0 protocol. Due to known security issues with the SSL 2.0 protocol, it has been replaced by the SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0 protocols. |
An error page appears when viewing an HTTPS site configured to use weaker ciphers (such as 40-bit and 56-bit encryption) on the Windows Vista® operating system. |
Windows Vista disabled the weaker encryption ciphers, only allowing only the use of stronger ciphers. |
An error page appears when navigating to an HTTPS site with an erroneous security certificate. |
Internet Explorer 8 automatically blocks navigation to any HTTPS site with invalid or erroneous security certificates. |
An Information Bar appears when viewing a page that mixes HTTPS and HTTP content. |
Internet Explorer 8 automatically blocks HTTP content from appearing in HTTPS pages. |
An error appears when navigating to an HTTPS site with a revoked security certificate on Windows Vista. |
Windows Vista automatically performs a check for revoked security certificates on HTTPS sites. |
When Is This Event Logged?
This event is logged any time Internet Explorer encounters invalid or erroneous security certificates.
Note
For more information and examples, see the Event 1033-Secure Sockets Layer topic from Internet Explorer Application Compatibility.
Remediation
The following sections describe the possible workarounds for some of the most common Internet Explorer issues as faced by users, Network Administrators, and Web site Developers.
Workarounds for Users
Users of Internet Explorer can work around the compatibility impact of the HTTPS security improvements in the following ways:
Symptom | Workaround | ||
---|---|---|---|
An error page appears when viewing an HTTPS site configured to use weaker ciphers (such as 40-bit and 56-bit encryption) on Windows Vista. |
There is no workaround for this issue. Please contact the Web site owner and request stronger encryption options. |
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An error page appears when navigating to an HTTPS site with an erroneous security certificate. |
There are multiple issues when discussing erroneous security certificates and workarounds.
Important Trusting a malicious certification authority puts your computer at risk.
To manually add an authority
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Workarounds for Network Administrators
As a Network Administrator of computers running Internet Explorer, you can work around the compatibility impact of the HTTPS security improvements in the following ways:
Symptom | Workaround |
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An error page appears when viewing an HTTPS site configured to use weaker ciphers (such as 40-bit and 56-bit encryption) on Windows Vista. |
You must configure your Web server software to offer stronger encryption options. If the Web server is not in your control, contact the server operator. |
An HTTPS error page appears, enabling users to continue on to a Web site that presented the erroneous certificate. |
Enable the Prevent ignoring certificate errors setting from your Group Policy. Enabling this option removes the ability to continue to a Web site from an HTTPS error page. To enable the setting by using Group Policy
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Workarounds for Web Site Developers
As a Web site developer for sites viewed with Internet Explorer, you can work around the compatibility impact of the HTTPS security improvements in the following ways:
Symptom | Workaround | ||
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An error page appears when viewing a site configured to use only the SSL 2.0 protocol. |
Enable SSL 3.0 or later in your Web server software. |
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An error page appears when viewing an HTTPS site configured to use weaker ciphers (such as 40-bit and 56-bit encryption) on Windows Vista. |
Enable stronger ciphers (128-bit or higher) in your Web server software. |
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An error page appears when navigating to an HTTPS site with an erroneous security certificate. |
There are multiple issues when discussing erroneous security certificates and workarounds.
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An Information Bar appears when viewing a page that mixes HTTPS and HTTP content. |
Ensure that your HTTPS Web pages do not contain embedded references to resources addressed by the HTTP protocol.
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