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Overriding Security Certificate Errors in Zotero

Note: These instructions are only for use with security software that intercepts/scans HTTPS connections, a WebDAV server with a self-signed certificate, or an institutional network that monitors encrypted traffic using a custom root certificate authority (CA). You should never override certificate errors unless you understand the consequences. When in doubt, please contact your network administrator or ISP.

Zotero does not currently provide a graphical way to whitelist self-signed certificates or custom root certificates, so you will need to copy files from a working Firefox installation:

  • If you are using a WebDAV server with a self-signed certificate, you can open the WebDAV URL in Firefox, accept the certificate, and then copy the cert_override.txt file from the Firefox profile directory to the Zotero profile directory.
  • If you or your organization is using a custom certificate authority, which can be the case when using security software or connecting via a proxy server, Zotero for Windows will automatically use the system root certificate store, which in most cases should allow it to work automatically. On Mac or Linux systems, you or your IT department will need to configure Firefox for the custom CA in a new Firefox profile and then copy the cert9.db, key4.db, and secmod.db files from the Firefox profile directory to the Zotero profile directory. (Prior to Zotero 5.0.78, the cert8.db and key3.db files from Firefox 52 ESR were required.)
kb/cert_override.1579171632.txt.gz ยท Last modified: 2020/01/16 05:47 by dstillman