Hi there, I own a portfolio website. Recently, I decided to install SSL on my domain for free. I uploaded the certificate keys through cPanel and it appeared to be successful.
but, the next day when I opened the site, the lock symbol to the left of the domain disappeared after a second, although the domain continued to have https. This issue happened on both my Laravel website and another project that utilizes cPanel but not Laravel.

There are three types of SSL certificates available:
1. Domain Validation (DV), which is the simplest option and does not show up in the address bar.
2. Organization Validation (OV) which displays a green padlock.
3. Extended Validation (EV) which is the most expensive and difficult to obtain. It is indicated by both a green padlock and the name of the organization in the address bar.

As per the ssllabs test, you currently have security on level B, which is acceptable for a free certificate, but not ideal.

SSL connection errors can be caused by multiple factors. Some of the most common ones include:
- Incorrect date and time on the device (computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.);
- Untrusted SSL certificate;
- Firewall or antivirus blocking the website;
- The included experimental Internet protocol QUIC;
- Lack of operating system updates;
- Using an outdated version 3.0 SSL certificate;
- Generating a certificate from the cloud provider's control panel may result in an "Invalid CSR" error.

If the device has an incorrect date and time set, an SSL connection error is inevitable since the certificate's validity period will not match. Modern browsers can detect this issue and display a message regarding the incorrectly set date or time. To resolve this, one should adjust the time settings and restart the browser or page.

Another common error occurs when an SSL certificate is untrusted, which could be due to wrong time settings or missing root certificates. In the latter case, downloading and installing the GeoTrust Primary Certification Authority package helps solve the issue.

Firewalls or antiviruses might also block websites, leading to SSL connection errors. Disabling the firewall temporarily can help identify if this is the problem. However, adding such sites to the list of trusted ones reduces the device security.

The experimental QUIC protocol can also cause errors. One can disable that protocol in the browser configuration. For instance, in Google Chrome, one can type the command chrome://flags/#enable-quic to access the parameter Experimental QUIC protocol and select Disable from the dropdown menu.

From your description, it seems like the SSL installation was initially successful since the lock symbol appeared next to your domain, indicating a secure connection. However, the fact that the lock symbol disappeared after a second is concerning and could indicate an issue with the SSL configuration.

When troubleshooting this type of problem, it's important to check a few key things. Firstly, verify that the SSL certificate is still valid and has been installed correctly. Sometimes, issues with the SSL/TLS handshake can cause the lock symbol to disappear even though the site is served over HTTPS.

Another area to investigate is mixed content. If your website contains resources (such as images, scripts, or stylesheets) that are being loaded over HTTP instead of HTTPS, some browsers may display a warning or remove the lock symbol. This can happen even if the main page is being served securely.

Additionally, it's worth checking for any potential conflicts with your Laravel framework or other applications running on the server. While cPanel provides a convenient interface for managing SSL certificates, there could be underlying issues within the server configuration that are affecting the SSL behavior.

I would recommend reviewing the SSL configuration in cPanel, checking for mixed content issues, and ensuring that the SSL certificate is properly installed and configured for all domains and subdomains associated with your projects. If you're still encountering difficulties, reaching out to the hosting provider's support team can also be beneficial in pinpointing and resolving the issue. Remember, maintaining a secure and reliable SSL connection is essential for the trust and safety of your website visitors.

The issue you're experiencing is likely due to a mismatch between the SSL certificate's common name (CN) and the domain name. When the lock symbol disappears, it's usually a sign of a TLS handshake failure.

I'd recommend checking the SSL certificate's subject alternative name (SAN) and ensuring that it matches the domain name. Additionally, verify that the SSL certificate is properly configured in the Laravel framework and that there are no issues with the certificate's trust chain.