What do my users need to know about HTTPS certificate verification?

Explain to them that:

• HTTPS is designed to provide secure connections and transmission of data.
• HTTPS sites, connections, and transmission of data are vulnerable to attack and compromise.
• A key element of HTTPS security is the exchange of signed digital certificates.
• When an HTTPS connection is being established, certificate verification is performed to validate the authenticity of the responding website, which protects you and your network.
• Sometimes certificate verification checks fail, usually for valid reasons.
• Sometimes certificate verification checks fail in error, or for obscure reasons that your administrator will have to investigate.
• In most cases, certificate verification failure will block you from accessing the site.
• If your connection request fails due to a certificate verification failure, look carefully at the URL you are requesting to ensure that it does not have any typos.
• Ask a colleague if she or he is experiencing the same problem. If other colleagues are not, see if you can determine why not (what’s different). If other colleagues are, report the problem to your HelpDesk.