# ERROR: Could not install packages due to an OSError: HTTPSConnectionPool(host='files.pythonhosted.org', port=443): Max retries exceeded with url: /packages/... (Caused by SSLError(SSLCertVerificationError(1, '[SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED] certificate verify failed: unable to get local issuer certificate')))

- **ID:** `python/pip-ssl-certificate-verify-failed`
- **Domain:** python
- **Category:** network_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 80%

## Root Cause

SSL certificate verification fails due to missing or outdated CA certificates on the system.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| 3.10 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Update CA certificates** (90% success)
   ```
   pip install --upgrade certifi
# Or system level: sudo update-ca-certificates
   ```
2. **Use a custom CA bundle if behind corporate proxy** (85% success)
   ```
   pip install --cert /path/to/custom-ca-bundle.crt package
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **Disabling SSL verification with --trusted-host** — Security risk; may work but exposes to man-in-the-middle attacks. (30% fail)
- **Using --cert with wrong path** — Path to certificate may be incorrect or file missing. (70% fail)