Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

I had posted this on 'Security Board' before realising that it might be more appropriate on the Virgin board, so sorry for posting twice.

Have recently been plagued by problem when opening e-mail (Virgin Media). Anything with images comes up with Kaspersky error message that "Authenticity cannot be guaranteed - SSL connection with invalid certificate detected - either the name is not on the allowed list or was explicitly excluded." The details go on to say that "Windows does not have enough information to validate this certificate."

I have to select 'continue' with every e-mail. These e-mails are from frequent trustworthy contacts that I've never had a problem with before and seem to have started after a recent Kaspersky update.

I'm not sure who to contact - Virgin Media/Kaspersky/Windows. If it's Kaspersky, I'll be wasting my time as they have given me really detailed answers in the past that have completely misunderstood any problem I'm having.

Please, has anyone had a similar problem, with an answer, before I have to start contacting helplines?

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

Kaspersky is throwing the error, but to be honest if the error is correct I'd be surprised if the email client works at all so I'm inclined to think Kaspersky is at fault completely here.

What email program are you using for your emails? Next, what email settings are you using? And finally, what's the last part of your email address? (@blueyonder.co.uk, ntlworld.com, etc.).

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

I'm using Virgin e-mail. I was happily using Windows Live until several months ago, when I upgraded Windows and could no longer use Windows Live, so switched to Virgin's 'web' e-mail.

I am finding it very slow, though. I have a 50/50 chance of getting logged in first time. At other times I get the red Virgin sign, the flashing grey dots and wait. Nothing happens so I refresh page and am logged in. It's the same when trying to send a new e-mail or reply to one received. I sometimes get the compose/reply screen, at other times this screen is 'greyed out' and I can't enter anything. At other times no screen appears and I have to try later.

E-mail is @blueyonder.co.uk.

Settings - I'm not sure what you want here, or where to find them. Sorry I'm not technically clued up.

Thanks for your help

Sorry I should have added the error box about Authenticity is a new development. The slowness has been going on for several weeks.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

Okay - it's bizarre you're getting a kaspersky error about SSL in your browser.

Try this fix:

Open Kaspersky Antivirus main application window
Click on the Gear icon in the left bottom corner
Go to Additional > Network
Check "Do not scan encrypted connections"


If that doesn't work, can you do me a favour and take a screenshot of the error you're seeing?


I don't think the version of Kaspersky you're using is compatible with Windows 10, you might have to update the client.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

Thanks Kushan

I went into Kaspersky - additional - network, but when going to check "Do not scan encrypted connections" a warning came up that this would disable Safe Money. I use Safe Money often and would not want to lose it, so didn't go ahead.

Next time the error message comes up on e-mail, I'll try to take a screen shot.

I'm not on Windows 10. I upgraded, but after having 'freezing' problems, I reverted back to 8.1 which I'm happier using.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

That's the fix Kaspersky give ATM. Apparently they will be implementing a permanent fix in their next Sw release. It's not known if existing will be updated.

Buy the 2017 edition, fix implemented.
Stay with present edition, update fix unknown at present.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

Thanks for all the help. Problem is definately Kaspersky as I can receive images OK when accessing e-mail on Android tablet and Microsoft Windows mobile.

Have sent help request to Kaspersky.

When filling in request form did notice that my Internet Security 2016 is now showing as a version beginning with 17, so last update must have upgraded version.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

Well I got the totally expected unhelpful answer from Kaspersky.

This error message is 'expected behaviour'. A one sentence explaining what the warning meant and told to select disconnect or continue as wished, neither would affect my browsing.

Completely missed the point that this constant appearance of the error message in every e-mail with images, even from frequent trusted senders, had only appeared over the last week or two, since the latest Kaspersky update.

However the problem has suddenly cleared. All images from regular contacts are appearing without the error message box. So holding my breath that this will continue.

Thanks for help from posters here.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

I'm glad you got it sorted. There is one thing I want to raise, though:

Kaspersky's model of scanning encrypted connections likely, ultimately, does more harm than good and likely leaves you more vulnerable to attacks than just having the whole system disabled.

Indeed, I was going a quick google to research this before giving you my response and it seems it's worse than I anticipated: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/0...tificate_slip/

To simplify what all this is about: When you visit a "secure" website, it uses what's known as an SSL certificate to encrypt it. You get these certificates by going to a registered authority and proving you own the domain. That's what gives you the green padlock - it's telling you that, not only is the connection encrypted, but it's got a certificate from someone you trust.

That "trust" part is very important. If you go to Google.com, Google gives you a certificate that a well-known, well-audited 3rd party has issued them - you trust that this 3rd party has done their due diligence and validated that yes, this is the owner of google.com and they're legitimate. Your Operating System contains a list of known good vendors, so using some clever maths you can validate that the chain of trust is good and thus your encrypted connection is safe from eavesdroppers. Your browser will also do its own checks for known bad ones.

If one of those authorities gets compromised or gets caught issuing certificates to people who don't actually own the domains they're claiming for, that authority can be revoked nearly instantly (and this has happened in the past).

Anyway, it's important to be aware that the only way for Kaspersky to monitor "encrypted" connections is to break that chain of trust. They literally add a new Certificate authority to your OS's whitelist (their own) and issue certificates for every single encrypted site you try to visit. They are literally eavesdropping your connection, doing the very thing that the whole system was designed to prevent - and what's more, they've done it badly.

Now, if anyone breaks Kaspersky's authority certificate (And that article I linked above is basically saying that it was trivial to do), then every single site you visit is compromised. There's no way to revoke it because it's not legitimate in the first place, your OS didn't have it installed - you did that yourself. You're basically screwed.

What's more, I'm not convinced that "safe money" is anything but smoke and mirrors. The correct use of SSL will prevent eavesdroppers. Keeping your browser up to date will prevent attacks. Your bank (if it's like mine) will require a second authentication (usually a phone call or that little calculator looking thing) to send money elsewhere - what exactly is their "safe and secure" environment?

It's entirely your choice what you do, but I strongly advise against using their SSL interception, it's ultimately weakening your security, not strengthening it.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

Thanks Kushan. I appreciate your taking the time to provide the above information and note what you say.

My present Kaspersky subscription expires in 5 weeks, so I'm seriously considering not renewing it. It is throwing up too many problems and I'm sure it is seriously slowing down my web browsing.

You seem well clued up on things, so what internet security program would you advise, with an emphasis on USER FRIENDLY, ie very simple to set up and use.

PS I have just read your linked article in Register and it seems that my validation problem was directly caused by this update and fix. Sounds like they tried to cure the problem by blocking all images and asking you to continue or disconnect every time an image cropped up. Wonder why there was no mention of this in their reply to my question to them.

Still no further problem opening images, so they must have made a second 'fix'.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

Honestly? These days, I am happy with the Microsoft provided solution and Windows 10. I got a 500 day trial of Nod32 and I do like that as well, but not enough to renew it when it expires in a few months time.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

A friend uses McAffes and that is just as bad at throwing up false errors.


Microsoft Defender is very USER FRIENDLY.

Re: Sudden problem with opening e-mail with images
 

Thanks Ken. I'll read up on defender.