ERR_ECH_REQUIRED

Enterno.io Editorial Team

By Anatoly Oshmanovsky · Updated Apr 18, 2026

Key idea:

ERR_ECH_REQUIRED — rare error (Chrome 123+): server signals it requires ECH (Encrypted Client Hello, RFC 9460) for the connection, but client either does not support it or did not get ECHConfig from DNS HTTPS RR. ECH encrypts SNI + ALPN in TLS 1.3 — privacy of browsing history from corporate proxies.

Below: causes, fixes, FAQ.

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Common Causes

Server serves HTTPS resource record with ECHConfig but client skipped it
DNSSEC validation failed for HTTPS RR (intermediate resolver stripped)
ECHConfig expired (server rotated public key)
Client on old Chrome version (<115)
Enterprise proxy strips HTTPS DNS records

Step-by-Step Fix

Update Chrome ≥ 115
DNS provider support HTTPS records: Cloudflare ✅, Route 53 ✅, most 🟡
Enable DNSSEC on domain
Server-side: chrome://flags/#encrypted-client-hello toggle
Enterno SSL checks HTTPS record presence

Check SSL Certificate →

Related SSL Errors

CertificateExpiry, issuer, domains (SAN)

ChainIntermediate and root CA validation

TLS ProtocolTLS version and cipher suite

VulnerabilitiesHeartbleed, POODLE, weak ciphers

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TLS 1.3

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Enter domain

TLS chain verified

Expiry date & vulnerabilities

What Does the SSL Check Cover?

SSL/TLS is the encryption protocol that protects data between the browser and server. Our tool analyzes the certificate, chain of trust, TLS version, and knownvulnerabilities.

Certificate Details

Issuer, validity period, signature algorithm, covered domains (SAN), and validation type (DV/OV/EV).

Chain of Trust

Full chain verification: from leaf certificate through intermediates to root CA.

TLS Analysis

Protocol version (TLS 1.2/1.3), cipher suites, Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) support.

Expiry Alerts

Set up a monitor — get Telegram and email alerts 30/14/7 days before expiration.

DV vs OV vs EV Certificates

DV (Domain Validation)

Confirms domain ownership only
Issued in minutes automatically
Free via Let's Encrypt
Suitable for most websites
Most common certificate type

OV / EV

Organization (OV) or Extended Validation (EV)
Issued in 1-5 business days
Costs $50 to $500/year
For finance, e-commerce, government sites
Increases user trust

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DevOps

SSL certificate monitoring

Security

TLS config audit

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HTTPS as ranking factor

E-commerce

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Common Mistakes

❌

Expired certificateBrowsers block sites with expired SSL. Set up auto-renewal or monitoring.

❌

Incomplete certificate chainWithout intermediate CA, some browsers and bots cannot verify the certificate.

❌

Mixed content on HTTPS siteHTTP resources on an HTTPS page — the browser lock icon disappears, reducing trust.

❌

Using TLS 1.0/1.1Legacy TLS versions have known vulnerabilities. Use TLS 1.2+ or 1.3.

❌

Domain mismatch in certificateThe certificate must cover all site domains, including www and subdomains.

Best Practices

✓

Set up auto-renewalLet's Encrypt + certbot with cron — certificate renews automatically every 60-90 days.

✓

Enable HSTSStrict-Transport-Security header forces browsers to always use HTTPS.

✓

Use TLS 1.3TLS 1.3 is faster (1-RTT handshake) and safer — legacy ciphers removed.

✓

Monitor expiration datesCreate a monitor on Enterno.io — get notified well before expiration.

✓

Verify chain after renewalAfter certificate renewal, confirm that intermediate certificates are installed.

Get more with a free account

SSL certificate monitoring, check history and alerts 30 days before expiry.

Learn more

Research

TLS 1.3 Adoption 2026: Growth Pace

Errors

Frequently Asked Questions

ECH adoption 2026?

Cloudflare ECH enabled on millions of sites (default if HTTPS RR present). Chrome 115+ supports. Firefox 118+. Safari 17+.

Why ECH?

Traditional TLS leaks SNI (domain) to middleboxes. ECH hides SNI — privacy for https://adult-site or https://politicsafe.

Blocked by governments?

Some countries (Russia, China) block or filter ECH traffic. If domain blocked — ECH helps only partially.

How to test ECH?

browsers.cloudflare.com/ech — online test. <code>curl --ech</code> in future.