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ERR_HTTP2_INADEQUATE_TRANSPORT_SECURITY

Key idea:

ERR_HTTP2_INADEQUATE_TRANSPORT_SECURITY — Chrome refused an HTTP/2 connection because the TLS setup does not meet RFC 7540 requirements: TLS 1.2 minimum, AEAD cipher (GCM, CCM, ChaCha20-Poly1305), ECDHE key exchange. Legacy ciphers (RC4, AES-CBC, 3DES) are forbidden in HTTP/2. Fix: nginx modern ssl_ciphers.

Below: causes, fixes, FAQ.

Common Causes

  • TLS 1.1 or lower used with HTTP/2
  • AES-CBC ciphers (non-AEAD) — forbidden for HTTP/2
  • No ECDHE ciphers — only RSA key exchange
  • Blocked cipher list RFC 7540 (long list)
  • nginx older than 1.13 with legacy cipher defaults

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. nginx modern: ssl_ciphers ECDHE-ECDSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256:ECDHE-ECDSA-CHACHA20-POLY1305:ECDHE-RSA-CHACHA20-POLY1305;
  2. TLS 1.3 cipher suites are HTTP/2-compliant automatically
  3. ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on; + modern config
  4. Enterno SSL Checker shows the cipher list
  5. Or temporarily disable HTTP/2: listen 443 ssl; without http2

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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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.

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DV vs OV vs EV Certificates

DV (Domain Validation)
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  • Suitable for most websites
  • Most common certificate type
OV / EV
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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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why strict HTTP/2 cipher requirements?

RFC 7540 prohibits vulnerable ciphers at the protocol level. Even if TLS accepted the cipher, HTTP/2 rejects it for defence-in-depth.

Does HTTP/3 have the same requirements?

Similar, through QUIC. TLS 1.3 only for QUIC.

Backwards compatibility?

HTTP/1.1 fallback works for old clients. But HTTP/2 — strict cipher requirements.

Mozilla SSL Config Generator?

Use for correct config: ssl-config.mozilla.org. Pick Modern or Intermediate.