Some time ago, I wrote a similar blog post describing this exact same error message while using the WCF-SQL Adapter of the BizTalk Server. Today, I encountered the same issue, but this time trying to connect to an existing SQL database using the SQL Server Management Studio (or SSMS):
TITLE: Connect to Server
Cannot connect to SQLSERVERNAME\INSTANCE.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the login process. (provider: SSL Provider, error: 0 – The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted.) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: -2146893019)
For help, click: https://docs.microsoft.com/sql/relational-databases/errors-events/mssqlserver–2146893019-database-engine-error
The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted
📝 One-Minute Brief
When connecting to SQL Server using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), you may encounter the error “The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted”. This post explains why this error occurs during encrypted connections, what changed in modern SQL and SSMS behavior, and how to quickly resolve the issue using the available connection security options without breaking connectivity.
Cause
This error occurs when you try to make an encrypted connection to SQL Server using a non-verifiable certificate.
Solution
The solution to solve this problem is quite simple, or at least a workaround for this problem:
- Open the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
- On the Connect to Server window, you may have two options to choose from.
- Option 1: On the Login tab under Connection Security:
- On the Encryption property, select Optional.
- Make sure you unselect the Trust server certificate.
- Click Connect.
- Option 2: On the Login tab under Connection Security:
- On the Encryption property, select Mandatory.
- Make sure you select the Trust server certificate.
- Click Connect.
In my case, either of those two options worked for me.
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