safari can't establish a secure connection

Stay safe - avoid completely disabling your antivirus applications and/or the web shield features. Make the smallest changes first, then turn things off only if absolutely necessary.

Instead, check your AV app for a place/way to specify safe sites. In my case, I could not get to a banking site. I suspect the problem is that they are using SSL, not TLS for securing their server, but regardless, here is the step I took that fixed my problem (had the same error about Safari can't establish a secure connection):

1. Open the AV app
2. Look for settings or preferences (Avast: Preferences)
3. Locate the web configuration section (Avast: Web Shield)
4. Locate the configuration change feature (Avast: Settings)
5. Locate the add trusted site feature (Avast: "+" symbol)
6. Type the server name; for example, "www.news.com", or "www.appleheadaches.com", or "geewhiz.org".
7. Select whether it's a regular http site or a secure https site. Hint: if it's causing headaches, it's probably an https site.
8. Save the new site (Avast: click the Add button).
9. Profit!!!

That fixed my problem in seconds. I no longer get the Safari connection error; I get to the site I was trying to load in the first place.

And my security controls are still in place, keeping my *** out of trouble!

Hope this helps!

OSX 10.9.4

Safari 7.0.5

Not open GOOGLE

"safari can`t establish a secure connection to the server "www.google.com" "

All you solution not help . Restart computer, modem and router too ..

Any help ?

Firefox and chrome open perfect .

Yes, i'm solve this.

I,m go out from my home and check safari and another wi fi network .

Works good, and open all. So, i,m change my internet provider setting (not work correct with iPv6) and all problem solve.

That's what I'm noticing, unfortunately.. I've only just recently switch from Windows to Mac OS, and I never had problems on any of my previous computers with Avast. Do you have any recommendations for an anti-virus system that's good for Mac that I can use in place of Avast? I'd hate to run into this problem again lol

I had the same problem last night on my daughter's Mac. Everything worked fine when I disabled web shield. Of course that cannot be the long term answer. I then decided to turn web shield back on and uncheck the IPv6 box on web shield and everything started working again. The website I was having a problem with was xfinity.com and I am on an xfinity network using their router. Maybe something has changed in how they doing IPv6?

You may want to turn your web shield back on, but add the site you're having trouble with to the trusted sites. Obviously, make sure you trust the site! ;-) See my longer answer in this thread from today.

This might be solve the issue of connecting to those websites, but there might be another problem underlying that we are just masking it with this method.

I had the Avast in place with webshield with no problem connecting to those websites. I then connected to an unsecured wifi network and after that I experienced the same problem. I can get around the problem by disabling the webshield on Avast. But I am afraid there is still some spyware hanging around stealing the information I am exchanging with those websites.

It became more of a concern when I installed AVG Antivirus and there is that same problem with the webshield. Enabling it causes the problem and disabling it gives the same type of error.

Any ideas?

Had one website that I could not connect to. Tried using Safari, Chrome and Firefox. Nothing worked. The technical people at the website could not figure it out. I also have Avast antivirus and when I disabled the Web Shield I could get into the site. Thanks for your post.

I agree with akmason. I also believe that a Mac should be protected. I followed his instructions in Avast and now, even with Web Shields enabled, I am able to log into the site that I was blocked from before. Thanks for the detailed instructions, they were easy to follow.

Just took off the advast web shield and now have access to all websites. So odd. I did do an update/install right before it happened .... wonder if that had anything to do with it? Also had been using advast with no problems prior to this issue.

Your Mac already is protected by the in-house Gatekeeper. You don't need third-party AV programs. You just don't. You may think you do, but either you're coming from a PC where they actually are necessary and you're just accustomed to having one on your system or you've been following unhelpful advice from other people. They suck up valuable resources scanning your computer for Windows viruses — you're not running Windows, you're running Mac OS X. Exactly what viruses do you think they're looking for?

I have exactly this same problem (specifically "Safari can't establish a secure connection to the server "www.google.com"). Alarmingly, I have the same problem on another Mac on the same network at the same time, so I changed the wi-fi network (I have two) but to no avail – still doesn't work. Tried pretty much everything: rebooting the router, restarting computers and Safari, changing prefs. Still can't get on to Google or Google Maps.

Could the problem be with Google even though the website isitdownrightnow.com shows Google working OK?

I should add that I'm not running any anti-virus software.

Big McAl wrote:

Thanks Eric, but none of the suggestions in the links worked for me.

I should also add that exactly the same thing is happening in Firefox, with the message "Secure connection failed".

If you're using a third party Anti-Virus program, turn off any sort of Web Shielding in the settings and you should be good to go. If you'd rather not keep the setting off then you can set up a list in your AV programs preferences to disregard certain websites (i.e. the sites that give the 'secure connection' message) in the future so you can still browse and be protected on sites you don't know.

I ended up just removing the AV portion of Avast all together and putting my computer in the hands of The Gatekeeper. I now only use Avast's VPN Network when I need it

I experienced exactly the same problem as Big McAI overnight... two macs can't access google through Safari or Firefox through my home wifi. Can get to most other things on the net fine (except things like iTunes store, which now has the same problem). My phone can't get to google via wifi either but can when using cellphone towers.

So, the problem would seem to be with my modem / router. I'm not sure why though, I've changed nothing at all between going to bed and waking up with nothing working, and don't have any third-party add-ons / anti-virus programs or the like. I've restarted everything, including the modem and router - no change.

Can't find any help on the web - any assistance would be appreciated.

Final update: my problem's solved.

In this particular case it turned out to be an issue with my (Australian) ISP relating to google access from Apple devices http://www.iinet.net.au/status/fault.php?id=4352567. They gave me some alternate DNS addresses to use as a workaround, that solved my problem.