Clicking on anything on that web site now generates this error message:
"Bad Request
Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.
Size of a request header field exceeds server limit."
Google Chrome doesn't cause this error.
This worked fine the last time I visited this site. Sequoia 15.7.1, M4 MacBook Pro
That’s usually a web server bug.
Update to macOS 15.7.3, clear all saved cookies and saved data, and test again, then let the server admin know.
Here is Microsoft Edge generating the same error: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1388866/microsoft-edge-bad-request-your-browser-sent-a-req
Still no joy here. It may be a web server bug but the bug doesn't impact Google Chrome. I suspect a Safari update bug more than anything. In any case my ability to notify the sysadmin of the Social Security Administration's web site is unlikely, to say the least :)
Thanks for trying though. I'll use Chrome if necessary to access the Social Security site.
Check specifically for an update for Safari.
The current release of Safari on Sequoia is 26.2. I'm not sure just when it was released but it's out there. I just used it to conduct secure business on ssa.gov.
System Settings... > General > Software Update
I just used Safari yesterday on the ssa.gov website to access my account using Mac OS 15.7.3 without any problem. You may have had a web server error or possibly try updating to OS 15.7.3.
The Safari version I used was 26.1 on Mac OS 15.7.3. I do see there is now a Safari 26.2 version available in Settings at Software Update, but that is not the version I used.
MacZonie wrote:
Clicking on anything on that web site now generates this error message:
"Bad Request
Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.
Size of a request header field exceeds server limit."
This worked fine the last time I visited this site. Sequoia 15.7.1, M4 MacBook Pro
I just tested this with my laptop which is on Sequoia 15.7.2 and Safari 26.1 and the site ssa.gov worked fine and clicking links also worked on that site.
I suspect a Safari update bug more than anything.
That is always possible, but the fact that I and others are not seeing that error message seems to contradict the assumption of a Safari bug.
Something in your configuration (browser extensions, VPN, security software, internet-related utilities ...) could certainly impact that site. Sites like ssa.gov are fairly rigorous about security and sometimes seemingly innocent extensions can interfere. Also, "cleaning" apps and the like (anti-virus) can conflict with these sites' functionality.
I feel you would be better off tracking down the issue with Safari because Chrome is a somewhat undesirable browser to use from a privacy perspective. Google records and stores everything you do with Chrome, you can even look at what it knows about you online via Google, it is shocking how much information can be gleaned from just using Chrome and how much Google stores and uses, and sells to third parties. I would be especially leery using Chrome on financial sites (ssa.gov), banking sites, or anything where privacy is important.
steve626 wrote:
…Something in your configuration (browser extensions, VPN, security software, internet-related utilities ...) could certainly impact that site. Sites like ssa.gov are fairly rigorous about security and sometimes seemingly innocent extensions can interfere. Also, "cleaning" apps and the like (anti-virus) can conflict with these sites' functionality…
Or the website is somehow getting tangled with one if its cookies.
The website is returning the error, and those with access to the web server logs csn usually see some details.
FWIW, ssa.gov works on my iMac Pro running Sequoia 15.7.3 with Safari 26.2.
Safari no longer working with ssa.gov!
