Occasionally, as users are moving from one platform to another, they report seeing an "Insecure Connection Error". After clicking on a link within an autogenerated Civic Review email, one user reported seeing this error:
"isendgridlink.civicreview.com doesn’t support a secure connection with HTTPS"
The user reached out to us and was [justifiably] concerned about proceeding if the connection wasn't secure. This article talks through the connection security in Civic Review, and what can cause those insecure connection errors.
Security and Connections:
HTTPS (as referenced in the error above) is a way to configure a website to ensure that the connection is secure and that all user data is protected. Civic Review and other 3rd party tools like payment processors and email servers are configured to support HTTPS and keep your connection and data secure.
However, there are certain scenarios that can disrupt your journey between these locations; and we always encourage our users to know how to double check to ensure a secure connection before paying or inputting data.
Connection Errors:
Switching between two platforms or locations can be a multi-step process. For instance, when you click the "Pay Fees Now" button within a Civic Review email, you are first sent to the email server, and then directed to the payment processing screen.
However, a connection error may occur if your browser or a 3rd party plugin detects a problem and pauses this journey. This can mean that the intended location isn't secure (and we'll show you below how to check), but more often it means that there could be an insecure 3rd party plugin or something within your browser that isn't completely secure.
If you, or one of your applicants, gets this error, here's a couple of things you can try:
Try going back to the original page and refreshing your screen. Click The link again and see if you get the same error, or if it was a temporary disruption. Try going back to the original page and refreshing your screen. Click The link again and see if you get the same error, or if it was a temporary disruption.
Try opening the link within a different browser and see if you get the same error. If not, it may be an error related to your browser or a 3rd party plugin.
Reach out to staff and get the direct link to page you're trying to get to (Applicant portal or payment screen).
As always, if you continue to get these errors; feel free to report them to Civic Review staff so we can be aware and look into them if needed.
How can I check if my connection is secure?
When you're inputting a payment or any personal information, we encourage you to know how to double check that your connection is secure. Luckily this process is super simple.
Typically, in the browser bar, there will be an icon that you can click on to check your connection security. In Chrome, it's in the top lefthand corner of the URL bar.
That same area may have a small yellow alert if your connection isn't completely secure, but you can doublecheck your connection security at anytime.