Google and Symantec are set to lock horns over the use of standard certificates that check the identity of thousands of Web sites.

Google said it will tweak its Chrome browser to stop recognising some Symantec certificates, causing problems for people who visit sites using them. Symantec claims Google’s claims are “exaggerated” and “irresponsible”.

The row concerns identity checks known as “security certificates”, which underlie the HttPS system that ensures data is encrypted as it travels to and from a Web site.

Symantec is one of the biggest issuers of basic security certificates. Google however claims around 30,000 certificates have been suspect.