Cannot access secure sites

[dougham]

Vista Home Premium cannot access secure sites (https). Further testing shows IE7 Cipher Strength as 0-bits, but needs to be 128 or 256-bits.

How do I fix?

 

[johngalt]

Ummm, my Vista Ultimate has IE 32bit and IE 64bit, and both are 256bit cipher standard:



I checked my parents computer running Vista Home Premium and the 32bit version of IE in there is also 256bit.

Have you tried http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/114310-internet-explorer-reset.html?ltr=I

Also, I would ***highly*** recommend a virus and malware scan of your system.

 

[dougham]

All those - IE reset made no difference. No malware at all found by Adaware, SpyBot, A2free, AVG and Avira.
The only answers on the web are for XP or earlier and involve uninstalling then re-installing IE7. I don't think that is possible with Vista.
Luckily Firefox doesn't have the problem.

 

[johngalt]

Then try a SFC/ SCANNOW - looks like it might be missing a DLL - since hte reset did not affect this.

 

[mharin40]

I am having the same problem with Vista Business. I tried using Safari, same problem. I disabled the windows firewall in place of my other firewall. Same problem. Deleted DNS cache, changed settings, checked malware/spyware, ran full scan, fixed teredo pseudo-tunneling driver, emptied caches left and right, and am out of ideas. I am about to try firefox, but if anyone knows a good fix PLEASE let me know! Thanks!

I Just tried firefox... no difference. PLEASE HELP!

 

[johngalt]

Did you read my responses? Have you run SFC /SCANNOW?

 

[dougham]

Have you ensured that TCP Port 443 is enabled in your firewall? If you have a 3rd party firewall then Windows firewall should be OFF anyway.

 

[PainlessTorture]

Go to internet options, advanced and make sure SSL and TSL are checked.

 

[dougham]

Thank you, but both are checked.
The fix for earlier versions is to uninstall & re-install IE7. How is that possible under Vista?
I hate the current system of providing a recovery partition rather than a genuine Windows CD/DVD. Who wants to put their system back to the day they baought it and re-install all their extras, rather than just run a Windows repair?

 

[johngalt]

Well, actually, System Restore accomplishes a lot of what you want to - you could try that. Also, you still never answered me about SFC....

 

[mharin40]

I ran SFC and it did not find any issues. I already checked everything else except port 443. How do I check that? Also, I upgraded my computer to Vista is there a way to restore to the point where Vista was upgraded? Will I need to back up all my files? What about my outlook emails?

 

[GLE]

I have what appears to be the same or similar problem and have not been able to access my work email system (an https site) from home using vista home premium which came preinstalled on my new computer...my old computer using windows xp did not have the problem. So I've changed all security settings that I can find in vista to match the xp version that I am using on my old computer but still no luck...go figure :-( HELP!

 

[johngalt]

mharin - can you open your browser and do a screen shot of the browser about page?

@GLE - can you do the same?

 

[dougham]

Download and install Firefox browser (just Google "firefox") and try that. If it works, the problem is with IE. If it still fails is is probably due to a firewall.
In my case, when I use Internet Explorer and do Help - About, it says the Cipher Strength is 0 bits, so it is a problem with IE that apparently isn't fixable without a complete re-install of Vista.

 

[johngalt]

Yeah, if your cipher strength is 0 then that confirms it is an IE problem - but by the same token , that means you *don't* have to download Fx and install it just to test it.

This way is much easier.

 

[GLE]

Yes, I can access the About page...I have IE7.0 and cipher strength 256-bit whatever that means. I have continued trying to disable add-ons and reducing most all security protections but still cannot access my business email system (an https site.)
Under Help, I read that I should be able to select "allow mixed content" under security tab and miscellanous section that would allow access to https sites. However, I could never find "miscellanous" under security tab and no options relating to allowing mixed content under any tab. So I'm still searching...any help appreciated.

 

[mharin40]

I actually got it to start working. I noticed there was a security download that typically failed. So I downloaded it from the website instead of the update manager. Plus, I had to re-install my toredo driver. I also found out that another computer on my network (I share across apts) was taking up an extreme amount of band-width because he had a few clicker trojans and other spyware. I am pretty sure it was the last issue that caused my computer to be inconsistant on the internet. Since I fixed his computer, I have been able to use it consistantly. However, one varriable that I noticed also helped was that my virus protection program can no longer update b/c i haven't renewed it... it was around that same time that I could use the internet w/o trouble. Maybe it was the updates taking up the band-width. How can I completely wipe the other 2 off my computer. Originally, I tried Norton 360 it was horrible! and now McAffee just ran up.It still says i have the original Norton 360 firewall but I cannot control it or wipe it. I even went into the registry and tried to find anything associated with norton 360.

 

[vijaykanth]

yes , u can try a system restore if ur afraid to do a system recovery..
tat may fix the problemm...

 

[johngalt]

Symantec and McAfee both offer removal tools that completley remove their products installed on your computer.

Download and run the Norton Removal Tool

How to uninstall or reinstall supported McAfee consumer products using the McAfee Consumer Products Removal tool (MCPR.exe)

 

[mharin40]

Yea, that was my first course of action to remove Norton... but its a worm i tell ya! The first time I ran it, it didn't even remove it. The second time it only partially removed it and then wouldn't remove itself. and the Third time should have removed it all because I used remote assistance! However, I had to manually go into my registry and remove items and it still thinks it has a firewall that is on... but I am not able to change any settings there... I believe unfortunately I am about to have to wipe my computer, very sad and a little daunting since I upgraded to Vista.