Installation failed: Download failed. cURL error 56: OpenSSL SSL_read: SSL_ERROR

Hi there,

For some time now I’ve not been able to install or update WordPress Core or Plugins via the CLI or admin with the following error:

Installation failed: Download failed. cURL error 56: OpenSSL SSL_read: SSL_ERROR_SYSCALL, errno 0

I am successfully able to download the file via cURL and file_get_contents without any issues yet using download_url/wp_safe_remote_get, it throws the above error and only with download.www.remarpro.com (ACF Pro updated without any issues.)

This issue seems to effect multiple PHP versions on my computer despite being fully up to date and I’ve reinstalled cURL, OpenSSL and PHP multiple times.

Any suggestions on where to look next?

wp-core

version: 6.7.1
site_language: en_GB
user_language: en_GB
timezone: Europe/London
permalink: /%year%/%monthnum%/%day%/%postname%/
https_status: false
multisite: false
user_registration: 0
blog_public: 1
default_comment_status: open
environment_type: production
user_count: 1
dotorg_communication: true wp-paths-sizes

wordpress_path: /Users/gavinroberts/Projects/redacted/redacted
wordpress_size: 60.68 MB (63623046 bytes)
uploads_path: /Users/gavinroberts/Projects/redacted/redacted/wp-content/uploads
uploads_size: 54.41 MB (57053656 bytes)
themes_path: /Users/gavinroberts/Projects/redacted/redacted/wp-content/themes
themes_size: 209.82 MB (220016426 bytes)
plugins_path: /Users/gavinroberts/Projects/redacted/redacted/wp-content/plugins
plugins_size: 22.04 MB (23115339 bytes)
fonts_path: /Users/gavinroberts/Projects/redacted/redacted/wp-content/uploads/fonts
fonts_size: directory not found
database_size: 3.52 MB (3686400 bytes)
total_size: 350.47 MB (367494867 bytes) wp-active-theme

name: TVW (tvw)
version: undefined
author: Anonymous
author_website: (undefined)
parent_theme: none
theme_features: core-block-patterns, title-tag, html5, woocommerce, post-thumbnails, menus, widgets-block-editor
theme_path: /Users/gavinroberts/Projects/redacted/redacted/wp-content/themes/tvw
auto_update: Disabled wp-themes-inactive (4)

Twenty Twenty-Five: version: 1.1, author: the WordPress team, Auto-updates disabled
Twenty Twenty-Four: version: 1.3, author: the WordPress team, Auto-updates disabled
Twenty Twenty-Three: version: 1.6, author: the WordPress team, Auto-updates disabled
Twenty Twenty-Two: version: 1.9, author: the WordPress team, Auto-updates disabled wp-plugins-active (2)

Advanced Custom Fields PRO: version: 6.3.12, author: WP Engine, Auto-updates disabled
Regenerate Thumbnails: version: 3.1.6, author: Alex Mills (Viper007Bond), Auto-updates disabled wp-plugins-inactive (1)

WooCommerce: version: 9.7.0, author: Automattic, Auto-updates disabled wp-media

image_editor: WP_Image_Editor_GD
imagick_module_version: Not available
imagemagick_version: Not available
imagick_version: Not available
file_uploads: 1
post_max_size: 512M
upload_max_filesize: 512M
max_effective_size: 512 MB
max_file_uploads: 20
gd_version: 2.3.3
gd_formats: GIF, JPEG, PNG, WebP, BMP, AVIF
ghostscript_version: 10.03.1 wp-server

server_architecture: Darwin 21.6.0 x86_64
httpd_software: nginx/1.27.1
php_version: 8.4.4 64bit
php_sapi: fpm-fcgi
max_input_variables: 1000
time_limit: 30
memory_limit: 512M
max_input_time: 60
upload_max_filesize: 512M
php_post_max_size: 512M
curl_version: 8.12.1 OpenSSL/3.4.1 (SecureTransport)
suhosin: false
imagick_availability: false
pretty_permalinks: true
current: 2025-02-26T06:13:15+00:00
utc-time: Wednesday, 26-Feb-25 06:13:15 UTC
server-time: 2025-02-26T06:13:14+00:00 wp-database

extension: mysqli
server_version: 5.7.44
client_version: mysqlnd 8.4.4
max_allowed_packet: 1073741824
max_connections: 100000 wp-constants

WP_HOME: undefined
WP_SITEURL: undefined
WP_CONTENT_DIR: /Users/gavinroberts/Projects/redacted/redacted/wp-content
WP_PLUGIN_DIR: /Users/gavinroberts/Projects/redacted/redacted/wp-content/plugins
WP_MEMORY_LIMIT: 40M
WP_MAX_MEMORY_LIMIT: 512M
WP_DEBUG: false
WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY: true
WP_DEBUG_LOG: false
SCRIPT_DEBUG: false
WP_CACHE: false
CONCATENATE_SCRIPTS: undefined
COMPRESS_SCRIPTS: undefined
COMPRESS_CSS: undefined
WP_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE: undefined
WP_DEVELOPMENT_MODE: undefined
DB_CHARSET: utf8
DB_COLLATE: undefined wp-filesystem

wordpress: writable
wp-content: writable
uploads: writable
plugins: writable
themes: writable
fonts: not writable acf

version: 6.3.12
plugin_type: PRO
update_source: ACF Direct
activated: true
activated_url: https://redacted
license_type: Developer
license_status: active
subscription_expires: undefined
ui_field_groups: 1
php_field_groups: 0
json_field_groups: 0
rest_field_groups: 0
post_types_enabled: true
ui_post_types: 3
json_post_types: 0
ui_taxonomies: 3
json_taxonomies: 0
ui_options_pages_enabled: true
ui_options_pages: 0
json_options_pages: 0
php_options_pages: 2
rest_api_format: light
registered_acf_blocks: 0
blocks_per_api_version:
blocks_per_acf_block_version:
blocks_using_post_meta: 0
preload_blocks: true
admin_ui_enabled: true
field_type-modal_enabled: true
field_settings_tabs_enabled: false
shortcode_enabled: false
registered_acf_forms: 0
json_save_paths: 1
json_load_paths: 1