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Understanding What Causes the NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID Error

Before we dive into what causes the NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error, let’s break down the relevant terms. The ‘common name’ this error references is the domain on which an SSL certificate is installed.

For example, if you have a website at mydomain.com, the common name on your SSL certificate would be mydomain.com. So as the error message states, the root problem behind NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID is that the common name on your SSL certificate is not valid for some reason.

Often, this means that the name on your certificate does not match the domain it’s installed on. However, there are other scenarios that could lead to this message appearing in your browser, including:

• Your SSL certificate does not account for www versus non-www variations of your domain.
• You tried to switch your website to HTTPS without first installing an SSL certificate.
• Your site has a self-signed SSL certificate installed and your browser does not recognize it as valid or secure.
• Your antivirus software is blocking your SSL connection.
• A browser extension is interfering with your site’s SSL connection.
• Your proxy settings are misconfigured.
• Your browser cache or SSL state has become corrupted.

As you can see, many different factors can contribute to the NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error. This can make it hard to pin down the correct solution, but a little patience will go a long way towards helping you fix the problem.