Question:
Why do I get a warning when I try to access the ACC and many other DoD websites, and how do I take corrective action?
Answer:
The ACC, as is the case with all of the AT&L Knowledge Management System (AKMS) sites, uses the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol to provide encrypted and authenticated communication between the client browser and the server, based on public-key cryptology. To help guarantee authenticity, a certificate accompanies the public key. All of this is a necessary step to ensure the security of each user's interaction with the AKMS sites.
Sites using SSL protocol can quickly be recognized by their URLs that begin with https:// vs http://. Commercial websites use certificates released by private verification companies such as Verisign or Thawte for commercial use. DoD and many other government websites have been granted the authority to create and publish their own certificates as needed to comply with applicable policies. For security reasons it is against policy for DoD, Government and Federal websites to use commercially public certificates to authenticate their secure websites. By default, certificates used by DoD and Federal websites are not included with the standard installations of Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, and most other browsers.
If you are receiving a warning that this site is untrusted/insecure, you will need to install the "DoD Certificate" to preclude such a notice. This install is a one time requirement that will resolve the warning notice for all of the AKMS and Defense Acquisition University systems. To download the DoD certificate, please go to http://dodpki.c3pki.chamb.disa.mil/rootca.html. Click the link for InstallRoot for your browser type and save the file to your desktop or other appropriate location on your computer. After the file has completely downloaded, go to the location you saved the file to and un-zip it and then run the install.
Questions pertaining to the downloading and installation of the root certificate should be directed to the DAU Helpdesk at issc@dau.mil or (703) 805-3459.
Note: With the release of Microst Windows 8 the DoD certificates are being packaged with the commercial certificates. (or so I have been told)
