OCSP Stapling: SSL certificate error can occur anytime while accessing a website using https:// protocol.

Here at Bobcares, we have seen several such SSL related issues as part of our Server Management Services for web hosts and online service providers.

Today we’ll take a look at how to fix this error.

What is OCSP Stapling

OCSP is abbreviated as Online Certificate Status Protocol.

With OCSP protocol, the browser needn’t spend time downloading and then searching a list for certificate information.

Traditionally when a site accessed, the web browser would check the Certificate Revocation List directly. But now the OCSP stapling allows the certificate presenter (i.e. web server) to query the OCSP responder directly and then cache the response.

More about OCSP stapling error

You may come across OCSP stapling error i.e. “sec_error_ocsp_try_server_later” anytime while accessing a website using https:// protocol in Firefox or Internet Explorer.

However, this error doesn’t indicate that there is some problem with the website. Instead it occurs due to the change in the method these browsers used to check for the revoked SSL certificates.

In case, if you receive this error when connecting to a site on your cPanel server, then enabling OCSP stapling in WHM will fix it.

How we fix OCSP SSL certificate error

Now let’s see how our Support Engineers fix this error message to our customers.

1. In WHM, open the Apache Include Editor

• • Access WHM and in the left side pane select Apache Configuration.
  • Scroll down and click on Include Editor.
  • Within the Include Editor page, scroll down to the Pre-VirtualHost Include section and select All Versions below “I wish to edit the Pre-VirtualHost configuration include file for:”
  • Scroll past any directives and add the following two lines at the very bottom in the include file:
    SSLUseStapling on
SSLStaplingCache shmcb:/tmp/stapling_cache(128000)
  • Finally, click on the Update button so that the changes made in the include file is saved.

2. Restart Apache to Apply the Settings

Now to apply the above changes we made, we need to restart the Apache. For that, you can simply click on Restart Apache button within the Include Editor section.

[Need any further assistance in SSL errors? – We are here to help you.]

Conclusion

In short, this error can occur anytime while accessing a website using https:// protocol. Today, we saw how Support Engineers fix this error message.