This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Did Not Connect: Potential Security Issue

more options

Cannot connect to www.imdb.com Firefox detected a potential security threat and did not continue to www.imdb.com because this web site requires a secure connection.

www.imdb.com has a security policy called HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS), which means that Firefox can only connect to it securely. You can’t add an exception to visit this site.

Seriously? Is this a joke?

There is nothing wrong with the site. It is well known and I have used it for years. Most recently as 5 days ago.

Please add an exception to this

Cannot connect to www.imdb.com Firefox detected a potential security threat and did not continue to www.imdb.com because this web site requires a secure connection. www.imdb.com has a security policy called HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS), which means that Firefox can only connect to it securely. You can’t add an exception to visit this site. Seriously? Is this a joke? There is nothing wrong with the site. It is well known and I have used it for years. Most recently as 5 days ago. Please add an exception to this

All Replies (13)

more options

What security software are you running?

more options

Have you tried using https://www.imdb.com/ ? I use this website a lot.

more options

Fred. That is the site I get the security message about.

jonzn4SUSE . My security software is Avast and there has never been a problem with it. I even disabled it to make sure it was not preventing access. I also disabled add ons. This browser has gotten worse. Do something about this as it sucks and is very annoying. I use IMDB for research as part of my teaching. What rights does Firefox have to dictate which websites we can use?

Modified by pete_scott2

more options

Hi Pete, just a note that Firefox is not commenting on whether IMDB is a safe site and Firefox doesn't have a block on IMDB. Firefox is saying there is a problem with the certificate it received from the server that says it is IMDB.

Could you click the "Advanced" button on the error page and look for a code, similar to SEC_ERROR_SOMETHING and let us know what it is? You also could skip ahead and check this article: How to troubleshoot security error codes on secure websites.

It's possible a filter or an impostor is stepping in. If you are on a work network, this can be caused by policy enforcement against using certain websites through the network. Try another browser like Microsoft Edge to double-check on that.

more options

pete_scott2 said

My security software is Avast and there has never been a problem with it. I even disabled it to make sure it was not preventing access. I also disabled add ons. What rights does Firefox have to dictate which websites we can use?

Using a proxy or VPN could potentially be a cause. Some form of a in middle sucurity software like a anti virus or scanner or firewall or some other security software could be a culprit too. Avast for example has been a headache in causing various connection issues over the years.

If the Firefox web browser was indeed the cause of not being able to connect to imdb.com then there would be a LOT of posts about that here in last while and not just yours.

more options

jscher2000 Self-signed certificate On a site with a self-signed certificate you will see the error code ERROR_SELF_SIGNED_CERT and the following error description, after you click on Advanced on the error page: The certificate is not trusted because it is self-signed. Advanced did nothing but tell me to go back. I use my laptop at home and no one else has access to it.

Dropa. Read my original message. Copied and pasted.

James. I do not need a VPN/Proxy to access IMDB. Firefox web browser is the only thing that prevents access and gives out Firefox messages as in my first post. Nothing else would say what it said.

more options

The real IMDB server definitely does not use a self-signed certificate; it uses a certificate issued by Amazon web services (at least for me sitting in California).

Do you have any add-ons or external software or filters or host file entries that might block some Amazon connections?

more options

What do you have set here? see screenshot

more options

I don't have setting for Nightly and the connection setting is to use system proxy which has always been used. There are no add-ons etc that can affect Amazon connections. Any add-ons are ones I have had for years which are updated. I only have 2 of them and are necessary for web sites I visit regularly

more options

pete_scott2 said

I don't have setting for Nightly and the connection setting is to use system proxy which has always been used. There are no add-ons etc that can affect Amazon connections. Any add-ons are ones I have had for years which are updated. I only have 2 of them and are necessary for web sites I visit regularly

It's the same setting in 100.0. Can you change it to No Proxy and see what happens?

Modified by jonzn4SUSE

more options

Dropa said

Are you using Firefox Nightly?

No ,I am not

more options

You can check the connection settings.

  • Settings -> General -> Network: Connection -> Settings

If you do not need to use a proxy to connect to internet then try to select "No Proxy" if "Use the system proxy settings" or one of the others do not work properly.

See "Firefox connection settings":

more options

I think the problem is with being in China. I can connect using VPN but I could connect before without VPN. Looking at the certificate Country CN Organisation AlbanyActon Organisational Unit AlbanyActon.Ltd Common Name www.imdb.com