There was an error querying Twitter's servers

This is an issue with your server or network; you need to contact your hosting company about the ability of your server to make remote HTTPS queries to Twitter.

I also get this error.
“error:0D0890A1:asn1 encoding routines:func(137):reason(161)”

What methods does the plugin use to connect via HTTPS?

We’ve never had problems with HTTPS queries before. What does that error message mean?

error:0D0890A1:asn1 encoding routines:func(137):reason(161)

Apparently there is some problem with negotiating the Twitter SSL certificate. Does your plugin use cURL? We tried following the instructions here for installing the root certs on the server (we have full root access):

https://dev.twitter.com/discussions/25218

and added the curl.cainfo directive to the php.ini

but it still doesn’t work, although the error on the plugin page now says:

error:0D0890A1:asn1 encoding routines:ASN1_verify:unknown message digest algorithm

We have full root access to the VPS that we are using. What configurations for cURL or PHP do we need to make? We have never had this problem with any other plugin that uses secure connections.

My plugin uses the core WP HTTP class, which selects a transport based on what is available. Usually, that’s cURL, but I have no way to know what it’s doing in your environment specifically.

I’ve never seen an issue like this; what is your environment? Server OS, WP version, PHP version, etc.

Twitter uses a 2048 bit SSL key, so your server needs to be able to negotiate a 2048 bit key. That could be your issue, as well.

I am sure my server can negotiate a 2048 bit SSL. I think it is a problem of missing some root certs or CA certs for whatever service it is using.

It is a Verio Linux VPS, proprietary modified RHEL. WordPress is 3.9.1. PHP is 5.3.

Is there an error log or debugging we can enable somewhere to get more information about what your plugin or the server is trying to do that is failing?

This error is happening before WP to Twitter even engages; the query to check Twitter’s server time exists for that reason: to make sure that your server can communicate with Twitter. It’s just a straight call to WP_http to check Twitter, and then report the result.

I don’t know of any reason you’d have problems with that environment; it sounds fine.

I’m not really sure what to suggest, here.

Did a little research, and I learned that this issue is due to the recent Heartbleed vulnerability (https://heartbleed.com/) and indicates that your server has an outdated version of OpenSSL that is no longer compatable with Twitter and must be updated. You’ll want to contact your host.

I just published a post on my site, and WP to Twitter said it posted successfully (I checked Twitter and it did), but is still giving me errors. How could that be?

Last Tweet: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX ? Tweet sent successfully.

—–

Twitter’s server time: There was an error querying Twitter’s servers.

Connection Problems? If you’re getting an SSL related error, you’ll need to contact your host.

error:0D0890A1:asn1 encoding routines:ASN1_verify:unknown message digest algorithm

WP to Twitter could not contact Twitter’s remote server. Here is the error triggered:

Connection Problems? If you’re getting an SSL related error, you’ll need to contact your host.

error:0D0890A1:asn1 encoding routines:ASN1_verify:unknown message digest algorithm

They’re different types of queries: the twitter time response is a GET query, the status post is a POST query, and they have different characteristics.

If my server can’t communicate at all with Twitter, how is it able to POST to Twitter?

Well, there are a couple possibilities: first, your server can’t make a GET query, but it can make a POST query. Second, WP to Twitter isn’t actually posting to Twitter, but you have some other application running that is taking your data and moving it to Twitter.

I can guarantee that WP to Twitter made the post to Twitter.

Last Tweet: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX ? Tweet sent successfully.