Fix: ERR_SSL_BAD_RECORD_MAC_ALERT

Some users complained they get the error ERR SSL BAD RECORD MAC ALERT when attempting to access certain web addresses. Most affected users report that they only get this error while trying to connect to accounts.google.com – the address responsible for managing the login for most (if not all) services Google provides. The issue does not appear to be exclusive to Google Chrome, however, as most affected users report that the same web addresses are not accessible from different web browsers either.

ERR SSL BAD MAC ALERT

What causes an error on ERR SSL BAD RECORD MAC ALERT?

We investigated this particular issue by looking at different user reports and the steps they took to try to resolve the problem. Based on what we’ve collected, there are several common scenarios which will lead to this issue appearing:

Antivirus software from 3rd party inspects HTTPS traffic – although most antivirus software is configured to do so by default, some end up being overprotective. After disabling HTTPS inspection (SSL Scan) from its 3rd party AV settings, affected users report that they managed to solve the problem.

Chrome build is severely outdated – It is also reported that this particular issue occurs on machines running an outdated Chrome version. But this is only known to happen with any outdated version of Chrome (build 40 and older)

The MTU value of the router is incompatible with the network configuration-if the MTU value of the router is incompatible with the current network configuration, the error is also confirmed.

This article will give you a selection of verified troubleshooting steps if you are currently struggling to resolve this particular issue. Below you have several methods that other users have used to resolve the problem in a similar situation.

Follow the methods below for the best results until you stumble upon a solution that is effective in your specific scenario.

Method 1: Disabling inspection of HTTPS from antivirus settings of third parties (if applicable)

As with different user reports, the issue is likely to arise if you have a third party antivirus software that is configured to inspect HTTPS traffic to prevent malicious attacks on the secure channels.

Although this is not necessarily a bad thing, a lot of 3rd party AV suites including ESET, AVAST, BitDefender, and McAfee are reported to make the ERR SSL BAD RECORD MAC ALERT error easier to show up.

By disabling the HTTPS inspection feature from the settings of the AV, most affected users have managed to resolve this problem. Typically, you can solve this problem by preventing your antivirus from doing any kind of HTTPS (SSL scanning) inspection on your third party.

The steps of doing this, of course, depend heavily on the AV you are using. You can deactivate this feature on BitDefender by going to Settings > General > Advanced, and unchecking the SSL entry.

“It’s in

If you can’t find the equivalent settings (it might not have the option to disable HTTPS inspection), the only way to make sure that the error doesn’t occur is to uninstall it completely because of your AV. You can make sure that you uninstall it completely without leaving any remaining files (which will enforce the same rules) by using our Completely Uninstall a Third-Party Company guide

Note: Affected users report that the ERR SSL BAD RECORD MAC ALERT error does not occur, while the active security option is Windows Defender.

If this method is not applicable to your specific situation or has not helped you solve the problem, go down to the next method below.

Method 2: Upgrade to latest version of Chrome

Some users reported that the fix was as easy as updating Chrome to the latest version for them. But keep in mind that this fix is only reported to be effective for users who only encountered the issue on Chrome and had installed a very old build (20 – 40).

Here is a quick guide to attempting to resolve the ERR SSL BAD RECORD MAC ALERT error by making sure you use the latest Chrome build:

Open Google Chrome and go to the top-right corner, click the action button. Then, click Help > Google Chrome.

Go to Settings > Help > On Chrome

Note: Keep in mind that Google Chrome is configured to update by default. This default behavior may however be changed by manual user intervention or some extensions.

Wait until the scan is complete, then click on Chrome Update and wait until the new version is installed.

Ensure the latest version of Google Chrome is running

Reboot your browser and see if it solved the problem.
If you are still encountering the issue (or you are encountering problems with multiple browsers accessing certain websites), go down to the next method below.

Method 3: Change of MTU to 1400 router

Many users encountering the error ERR SSL BAD RECORD MAC ALERT have managed to solve the problem completely (on every device connected regardless of the browser used) by changing the MTU value of the router concerned to 1400.

Depending on your router manufacturer, the steps to change the MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) will be different. However, we have created some general steps which should point you in the right direction:

Start a web browser and enter your router login address. By default, most routers use IPs: 192.168.0.1. or 192.168.1.1.

Look through the settings of your router and for any network or WAN setting that lets you change the size of MTU. This can be found in the Advanced menu under WAN setup on most routers.

Set the size of MTU to 1400, and press Save (or Apply) to save the changes.

Changing the Size of the MTU

Restart your router and see if the problem has been resolved by attempting to access the same address that triggered the ERR SSL BAD RECORD MAC ALERT error beforehand.

Method 4: Disabling advanced streaming (Killer Network) detection;

If you are using an Alien ware or any Dell computer with a Killer network card, you can try to disable ‘Advanced Streaming Detection.’ Although this option is useful, it is known to cause conflicts with multiple modules and cause problems while browsing web pages as discussed.

Launch your Computer’s Killer Network Control Panel.

Navigate to Settings once in the control panel, and uncheck the Advanced Stream Detect option.