Authentication error on community - are you affected?

[npr]

There's two different error messages being reported.
I was seeing the full page "secure connection failed" error with FF 46, the in page "opps" error may or may not be FF related.

[Strat]

I see both of these

[Anonymous]

@LouisaMartin - Can you ask Lithium when they are testing this issue with Firefox, what operating system are they using ?

I'm wondering whether if Lithium are developing and testing using Macs, or something other than Windows, as the people here with problems with Firefox 46 are all using Windows, yet the Mac and Linux users also using Firefox 46, don't see the issue, despite using the identical version of browser.

[rongtw]

I hope this problem with FF46 has been added to the list of urgent fixes :rolleyes:

Lithium may have to update their FF to the latest version to test , at a loss to understand why the still use the older version :lipsrsealed:

[Strat]

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@LouisaMartin wrote:

Lithium have advised users to either downgrade to v45 or change browsers until the issue is fixed.

Considering that browser updates are often issued to plug security weaknesses I am a little surprised at Lithium's response.

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[Anonymous]

Let me get this straight, and correct me if I'm wrong, but -

• Lithium are blaming Mozilla for an unidentified problem with Firefox.
• Lithium can't replicate the fault,so it must be somebody else's fault - i.e. Mozilla.
• Lithium are not themselves using the 'latest' browser, contrary to their own spec for users.
• Lithium aren't working on a fix, but want forum users to down grade to v45.
• Googling this issue doesn't indicate that this is a widespread Firefox problem.
• If the problem is unknown & unreported, then Mozilla won't be rushing to fix anything.
• Meanwhile potential Plusnet customers and many forum readers will see error messages.
• This IS and SHOULD be a problem for Lithium, because it is not just FF46 that shows this fault.
• Other than an initial javascript update, Lithium haven't actually fixed any reported problems here.

[bobpullen]

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@MauriceC wrote:

Mozilla have an open ticket for this.

Reference please.  At least Mozilla are fairly 'open' to their code failings.

I linked to the relevant bug report in another thread. The Mozilla bug report is here.

@Anonymous wrote:
Googling this issue doesn't indicate that this is a widespread Firefox problem.

You're not looking hard enough. This is what I've found after a quick search. All relevant to Firefox 46:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/mozilla.support.firefox/qBsnRPJjPVg
http://serverfault.com/questions/772457/ssl-error-when-pressing-ctrlf5-overwriting-cache-in-firefox
https://community.norton.com/en/forums/secure-connection-failed-0
https://forums.cpanel.net/threads/secure-connection-failed-when-switching-accounts-via-dashboard-firefox-46.541661/

I think things are getting a little confused here though because there's more than a single problem being reported.

The 'secure connection failed' issue looks to be specific to Firefox and is probably better discussed in the thread here.

The authentication ticket mismatches and other inline Lithium errors may not be related, unless they only happen in Firefox 46? Assuming they don't then I'd suggest continuing to discuss those here.

Edit: incidentally, the secure connection failures seem to be affecting access to our Webmail platform too :sad:

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[rongtw]

I would like to know what PN are doing about this mess :sad: and hope they withhold any payment to Lithium until they fix our forum .

AND i believe i have another bug :angry: i  tried to reply to a PM from shutter , and Guess what ,,,,,,,, i got the lithium error

:sad:

[Anonymous]

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@bobpullen wrote:

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I linked to the relevant bug report in another thread. The Mozilla bug report is here.

That only says "I've a suspicion it's related to ...", which is not the same as Lithium identifying the problem and working with Mozilla to iron out this bug. Are Lithium or Plusnet signed up as interested parties on the Mozilla bug tracker ?

In the mean time, are we just expected to choose between downgrading to Firefox 45, or wait until 7th June, when Firefox 47 is due ?.

I'm not convinced that this is a specific Firefox 46 issue, firstly because I have several Linux machines running Firefox 46 and haven't seen a single instance of this while using this forum, and secondly I reported earlier in this thread that I have seen several forum authentication errors using Firefox 11.0

[jaread83]

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@Anonymous wrote:
 

 that I have seen several forum authentication errors using Firefox 11.0

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Why would you be using FF11 if you don't mind me asking? That version was released in March 2012 and FF has been updated a lot since then. The Lithium documentation states that you should be using the latest version of your browser (as that is what is supported). While it does say this on their documentation I have left a comment on the post about it on their community asking 'if we need the latest version of Firefox, why does our community not work in FF V46?'. I am waiting for an answer from them about that but in the meantime we are speaking with Lithium support to get this sorted as a matter of urgency.

On another note, @bobpullen has been investigating and has found that some web applications have patched their software as a workaround till the next release of FF (where this issue will be resolved in the next version) and after enough adoption of FF V47, they will remove the hotfix.

I just hope that we can get this resolved as soon as possible.

[bobpullen]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@bobpullen wrote:

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I linked to the relevant bug report in another thread. The Mozilla bug report is here.

That only says "I've a suspicion it's related to ...", which is not the same as Lithium identifying the problem and working with Mozilla to iron out this bug. Are Lithium or Plusnet signed up as interested parties on the Mozilla bug tracker ?

Lithium have confirmed that the issue is related and yes, I'm registered to receive updates. If it looks like there's going to be an intermediate patch this side of Firefox 47, then I'll let people know.

In the mean time, are we just expected to choose between downgrading to Firefox 45, or wait until 7th June, when Firefox 47 is due ?.

As far as the secure connection failures are concerned yes, although we're pushing to see if anything can be done in the interim.

I'm not convinced that this is a specific Firefox 46 issue, firstly because I have several Linux machines running Firefox 46 and haven't seen a single instance of this while using this forum, and secondly I reported earlier in this thread that I have seen several forum authentication errors using Firefox 11.0

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Again, you're referring to the authentication errors as if they're part of the same problem and that hasn't been confirmed. For the time being at least, I think they need to be considered separate issues.

[Anotherone]

Well would you know - I've just been on another Lithium forum, and guess what, I just had one of these -

Authentication Ticket Mismatched, failed authentication. 

:grin: you've got to laugh, but what annoys me when one gets one of these is that you tend to lose the information you were trying to input :angry:  I'm sure I know what the cause of that one was. Anyway, based on previous experiences here, can I remind everyone of one thing that will almost certainly get you one of those

• Having a tab/window open on a page where you are/have been entering detail for a post etc and leaving the page for an extended period of time. If you return after a period which exceeds the session timeout you will get that error when you try to something like Preview the page (or post)
• It does not seem to matter if you are creating a post, whether you have been typing or Previewing or a mixture of both, if you do not actually post within the "session timeout" time - I'm calling it that as I don't recall if it has another name.

This latter aspect is, as far as I'm concerned, not acceptable. One can be creating a lengthy and complicated technical post and be active typing and previewing. This is completely different from leaving a tab/page completely "unattended".

[rongtw]

Anotherone ??  were you using Firefox 46 by any chance

[Anotherone]

Absolutely NOT :tongue:

[Anotherone]

I had an Authentication error twice yesterday, both with posts I'd taken a long time to compile. Whilst I am wise to the possibility of this event and take precautions it doesn't make it any more acceptable!