Gmail users across the world were met with errors and safety warnings over the Easter weekend. The glitches came after Google forgot to update an integral part of their service. It says a “majority” of its users were affected by the problem, which allowed them to access the service but led to “unexpected behavior”.
A number of Gmail users reported the problem on Twitter in attempts to get a response from Google. The error messages first started to appear on 4th April. The problem affected people attempting to send Gmail messages and use some of Google’s messaging apps. The issue arose after Google neglected to renew a security certificate which means a secure connection can be established and users can connect without concerns about spying.
The problem was resolved around two hours after it was first reported. Google recently started to refuse security certificates issued by the China Internet Network Information Center, or CNNIC. Google claimed that a CNNIC security lapse meant that its certificates could no longer be relied upon. CNNIC responded by calling the decision “unacceptable and unintelligible”.
Google are apparently negotiating a deal to enable some people to use their phones abroad for free.
