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Original poster

Strange message when trying to access MN

25 replies

MermaidofZennor · 23/09/2016 20:37

"Your connection to this site is not private". It comes up when trying to access mobile site via my Kindle Fire. It then comes up with site settings and tells me to clear and reset all cookies, local data and all permissions for the site. Any clues what that means Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
MermaidofZennor · 24/09/2016 05:54

Bump. Am I the only one then? Mobile site isn't working properly. When I write a post it doesn't show that it's posted, just sits there whirring and I have to log out and log back in to find out if it worked. Is it just my Kindle or is there a problem?

OP posts:
Rowgtfc72 · 26/09/2016 15:33

Got the same thing. Google chrome on a hurdl. Doesnt matter what I do it remains not private. Only webpage I'm having a problem with.

Original poster
MermaidofZennor · 26/09/2016 17:55

I'm still getting this message. The fact that it says my connection is not private sounds like something I ought to be concerned about. Has a virus got into my Kindle via the MN website? Because I can't think of anywhere else I've visited that could have introduced a virus.

The more I see of the security issues on MN the more concerned I feel. I don't feel reassured that enough is being done to protect the users of this site. After last year's debacle I just don't know whether I want to remain here, risking my phone and Kindle.

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/09/2016 17:58

Your connection to the site is not private. MN chooses to use http rather than https. I'm not sure about the rest of the stuff.

Connection not private can't hurt you. It just means that theoretically another person could read any data you send to MN or receive from MN. As everything you send or receive is public anyway it doesn't really matter.

Janey50 · 26/09/2016 18:01

I keep getting 'The website address you have requested is not working'. It is driving me insane!

Original poster
MermaidofZennor · 26/09/2016 18:20

I think it does matter It'sAll. This is different from normal. Something is not right with the website. I've had concerns since last year that security was not tight enough. How can you be sure that passwords are safe or any other information, or private messages even? Some things written on here are not for public consumption, but merely between two posters. Can you be sure they are secure?

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/09/2016 18:36

I assume the login page is http?

Yes PMs are not secure unless they are http

It may must be a web browser update thing - in the not so distant past https was only used for things that needed to be secure - passwords/ online shopping etc - now most sites are https by default, and those that aren't tend to be flagged up to users.

Even https sites aren't secure though - anything can be hacked, and how stuff is stored on a site is nothing to do with https/http that just co era data to and from the site

MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 28/09/2016 09:06

@MermaidofZennor

I think it does matter It'sAll. This is different from normal. Something is not right with the website. I've had concerns since last year that security was not tight enough. How can you be sure that passwords are safe or any other information, or private messages even? Some things written on here are not for public consumption, but merely between two posters. Can you be sure they are secure?

Hi there MermaidofZennor,

Thanks for this. All passwords are encrypted so no one can see them. We have gone to great lengths to ensure the safety of the site, especially following last year's attack.

We will speak to tech about this recent issue and see what they suggest.

Is this a Kindle/hudl/tablet issue for the three of you who posted saying it had happened to you? it helps us to identify issues if we know what device and browser you're using.

Fingers crossed, we'll get this one sorted asap

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 28/09/2016 09:26

On my any device, using chrome browser there is an "I" icon at the left of the address bar - click on this and it says "your connection to this site is not private" and gives a link to alter site settings. This occurs on every http page on the site, and on any other site.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 28/09/2016 09:28

The login page is https and I get a green padlock - no issues with security certificate, and using up to date ciphers. (Chrome, any device)

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 28/09/2016 09:31

PMs are http rather than https, which should perhaps be looked at?

MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 28/09/2016 10:54

Hi all,

I get the small 'i' too.
We've just spoken to tech who have confirmed that this is normal. If you look at many other sites, they are the same. The login page is https for obvious security reasons and so you don't get the same notification but everything else is open for all to see.

This is normal across the internet and not specific to MN. We've just had a look at several other forums and it's the case there too.

Hope this helps to clarify.

Original poster
MermaidofZennor · 28/09/2016 11:21

Ok. Well maybe it doesn't help that my Kindle Fire is an early model? Anyway, when I click on the little i (which incidentally has only recently started to appear on my Kindle but isn't there this morning), it suggests I go to site settings, which gives me only one option - delete cache and then clear and reset. This throws me completely out of MN and I'm logged out. I then have to log back in and try to find where I was. I get screen freezes and have no alternative but to close MN right down.

OP posts:
MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 28/09/2016 11:30

Can you see the i on other sites Mermaid?

Original poster
MermaidofZennor · 28/09/2016 11:38

No. Just had a look at one other site I use regularly, Goodreads, and that's an https one. The i is back now on here. Had to close MN down to get back here.

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 28/09/2016 12:25

The "i will appear on any http (as opposed to https) site eg www.bbc.co.uk/news

it suggests I go to site settings, which gives me only one option - delete cache and then clear and reset. This throws me completely out of MN and I'm logged out

This is because by doing this you delete the MN cookies that lets the site know you are logged in etc. You don't need to alter the site settings at all - it is perfectly shaped to browse around an http site as long as you don't enter things like credit card details.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 28/09/2016 12:26

Shaped = safe...

Original poster
MermaidofZennor · 28/09/2016 13:04

And yet I still don't understand why it has only just started to appear - within the last week or so. What has changed? Is it my Kindle or is it MN?

I don't suppose I shall ever know enough about websites and how they work (too old now Confused). We'll leave it there and draw a line under this thread. Thanks for answering and trying to explain: )

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 28/09/2016 13:46

I think it might be a browser update thing - I'm pretty sure there used to be a page icon there instead (rectangle with bent down corner) - I still have that on my laptop (and clicking on it gives the same warning, but with more site setting options), but on all my mobile devices it is now the i in a circle. I guess google has tweaked chrome on mobile devices slightly.

Really though, don't worry - it really doesnt mean that a site is unsafe - just that anything you type and send to the site could potentially be read by a third party.

Rowgtfc72 · 28/09/2016 17:36

I've only had it on chrome since Mon so maybe it is a week.

Spring2016 · 08/10/2016 09:32

I am getting that message here and a genealogy site. I am on a tablet using Chrome browser.

Danglyweed · 10/10/2016 11:50

I too am having this problem with my kindle in the last couple of week. Also will load a thread, but will not go back or let me click on active, watching etc. Really driving me mad!

Spring2016 · 12/10/2016 09:23

I am no longer getting that message on this site.

Spring2016 · 13/10/2016 07:49

The message is back.

Spring2016 · 15/10/2016 02:49

Could this be why it is happening? www.theregister.co.uk/2016/10/13/globalsigned_off/

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