NIU Blackboard users may notice a warning message when attempting to access Blackboard. The following instructions will guide you through installing NIU security certificates for each of the browsers.
Learn more about NIU security certificates here:
Blackboard users who have upgraded Internet Explorer to version 7.0 may notice a warning message when attempting to access Blackboard that states, “There is a problem with this website’s security certificate” as depicted below.
If you have received this message in Internet Explorer or any other browser, install the NIU security certificates for the browser that you are using. Click here for instructions and links to download and install the security certificates. Additional details are also included in episode 7 of the Teaching with Blackboard podcast.
Safari users who are attempting to access Blackboard, may see the following message: "Safari can't verify the identity of the website "webcourses.niu.edu".
To avoid seeing this message when accessing Blackboard, Safari users need to install NIU Organizational Certificates. To do that, please go to the following http://www.its.niu.edu/its/internet/certificate/certificate.shtml.
1. Click on both the NIUCA and NIUCA2 links to download the certificate files to your desktop.
2. Double-click on the niuca.der icon in the Downloads viewer. It will open an Add Certificates dialog box within Keychain Access.
3. From the dropdown next to Keychain, select X509Anchors and click on OK.
4. Keychain Access requires that you type your password to Authenticate, then click OK.
5. Go back to the Safari Downloads viewer and double-click on the NIUCA2.der icon and install that one in Keychain X509Anchors as well.
6. When you go to an NIU site requiring a security certificate (such as password.niu.edu, webmail.niu.edu, or webcourses.niu.edu), check the box next to Always Trust and click Continue.
Last Updated: 09/05/2007