SSL connection error with Safari (only) for one site

Some websites require a special client certficate for access. If you don't have that certficate, you'll have to contact the site operator to find out how to get one.

Sometimes the problem is caused by a web server that is configured to request an optional client certificate. Safari treats the request as mandatory. In that case, other browsers such as Firefox and Chrome may be able to connect to the site, because they ignore the request.

The first time you were prompted for a certificate, you may have clicked through a dialog that requested access to the Apple certificate in your keychain that is used to secure the iMessage service. In that case, you may be able to regain access to the site in Safari by doing as follows.

Back up all data.

Double-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:

com.apple.idms.appleid.prd

Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.

Launch the Keychain Access application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.

Paste into the search field in the Keychain Access window by clicking in it and pressing the key combination command-V. An item may appear in the list of keychain items. The Name will begin with string you searched for, and the Kind will be "certificate."

Delete the item by selecting it and pressing the delete key. It will be recreated automatically the next time you launch the Messages or FaceTime application.

The next time you visit a site that prompts for an optional client certificate, cancel out of the prompt. You may have to do this several times before the server stops asking.

Credit for this idea to Christian Braukmueller of SAP.

Please post a direct link to the page you're having trouble with, if possible. It must be open to anyone without a login.

Please launch the Keychain Access application and enter "globalsign" in the search box. Post a screenshot of the window.

There are two certificates named "GlobalSign Root CA," one in the "System" keychain, and one in the "System Roots" keychain. The first one isn't part of a default installation. Unless you know of a good reason for it to be there, I suggest you back up all data and then delete that certificate. You'll be prompted for your administrator password. Do not change anything in the System Roots keychain.

If you haven't already done so, please restart your router and broadband device, if they're separate, and/or test on a different network, such as a public hotspot.

From the Safari menu bar, select

Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Privacy ▹ Remove All Website Data...

and confirm. Test.

Start up in Recovery mode. In the OS X Utilities screen, select Get Help Online. A clean copy of Safari will launch. No plugins, such as Flash, will be available. While in Recovery, you'll have no access to your saved bookmarks or passwords, so make a note of those before you begin, if they're needed for the test.

Test. After testing, restart as usual and post the results.

I'll assume that you tested in Recovery mode and not in safe mode, which is completely different. If so, the problem is not caused by anything on your computer. Nor is it caused by the server, because I have no trouble with the site. It's something in the network. That's about all I can tell you.