Cox email security update has Thunderbird looking for a certificate it can't find. How do I solve this?
Cox recently required security changes. After I walked through the steps, the last thing was suppose to be a pop up window asking for my password. This never happened. Now when I try to download messages I get this. Cox support says thunderbird is the problem and directed me here.
All Replies (15)
jgautreau said
Now when I try to download messages I get this.
What is this? Perhaps a screen shot of the error message?
Here is another Cox user who dealt with the absence of a password prompt:
Ok, it seems to be connected to my AVG virus protection. If I disable the email protection my messages go through. Any ideas? I can see in the current exceptions that a file path pertaining to thunderbird is listed. Does that mean my emails have been unprotected? I can't imagine I've ever added this since I'm clueless now. Is it that this path now needs to be updated? Thanks guys!
I suggest you ask the nice people at AVG how to configure our anti virus. You might need to be aware the avast bought AVG, so your anti virus is probably using an avast engine now, hence the changed behaviour.
jgautreau said
Ok, it seems to be connected to my AVG virus protection. If I disable the email protection my messages go through. Any ideas? I can see in the current exceptions that a file path pertaining to thunderbird is listed. Does that mean my emails have been unprotected? I can't imagine I've ever added this since I'm clueless now. Is it that this path now needs to be updated? Thanks guys!
You should add the TB profile folder (Help/Troubleshooting Information, click Open Folder to show the location) as an exception in AVG. You are still protected by the AVG real-time background monitor, but you shouldn't experience any interference by AVG in downloading and managing email.
I agree sfhowes. This would seem like what I need to do. I can't find the folder location you suggest. Can you give more info? Are you referencing Help in TB? if so, I don't see trouble shooting, etc. I have found a local directory in server settings but that doesn't work
jgautreau said
I agree sfhowes. This would seem like what I need to do. I can't find the folder location you suggest. Can you give more info? Are you referencing Help in TB? if so, I don't see trouble shooting, etc. I have found a local directory in server settings but that doesn't work
Troubleshooting information has been on the Thunderbird help menu since V5. What version are you actually using?
The default profile folder location is C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\xxxxxxxx.default
The current version of TB is 52.5.2.
I am wondering if the version is so old that the ancient version of Thunderbird you are using does not have the relevant required security. What do you think Mr Howes?
I don't know if a Cox account with secure settings can be set up in TB 3 without certificate issues, but since the user is on Windows 10, I see no reason why they shouldn't use the current version of TB, and ample reasons why they should.
1. That folder location example looks like what is already listed in exceptions. Maybe the Cox update changed that. Unless I can find the actual one to maybe replace or add it, then I don't know if the current one is the same. Does anyone know how to find it in this version?
2. The last time I updated TB I had so many problems I had to revert back and have never made changes since.
3. My current thought is to say goodbye to Cox email and move to using something else primary
I do appreciate everyone's input.
I think update to the current version. get it here getthunderbird.com
I really do not know what issues you had last time, but most issues are either related to anti virus, or add-ons that do not make the leap to the new version, but I am sure that can be fixed.
Updating TB may have solved my problem. I at least have access now. The true test will be seeing what happens after the Cox cut off date. Thanks guys!
jgautreau said
Updating TB may have solved my problem. I at least have access now. The true test will be seeing what happens after the Cox cut off date. Thanks guys!
There is a murky realm of ciphers and hash tables used in SSL (It is actually TLS not SSL just to add confusion) The tables and ciphers are updated periodically with larger hash tables and the "repeal" of older weak encryption. So when a device connects to a server with SSL the first thing they have to work out is an appropriate and compatible cypher that they both support. With an old Thunderbird you would have been missing the new and still using the old. It is probably that there was no "common" cipher that the connection could use. This is one of the reasons we are always trying to get folk to update in a timely manner. You and I see nothing different, but the machines do.