node.js - receiving error: 'Error: SSL Error: SELF_SIGNED_CERT_IN_CHAIN' while using npm

Question

I am using npm v1.0.104/node 0.6.12 on ubuntu - I am receiving the error copied below while attempting to install any new modules via npm (I tested socket.io earlier using http, not https though & am wondering if that could have resulted in the issue with npm/unsigned certs). The error pops up once npm tries to resolve the 'https://registry.npmjs.org' URL. Is there anyway I can ignore the error or perhaps locate/add the cert to a trusted store in order to continue using npm.

Any insight on what needs to be done to resolve the issue will be appreciated (I would prefer to resolve the issue through configuration as opposed to re-installing if possible).

Error: "Error: SSL Error: SELF_SIGNED_CERT_IN_CHAIN"

Full Message:

npm ERR! Error: SSL Error: SELF_SIGNED_CERT_IN_CHAIN
npm ERR!     at ClientRequest.<anonymous> (/usr/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/request/main.js:252:28)
npm ERR!     at ClientRequest.emit (events.js:67:17)
npm ERR!     at HTTPParser.onIncoming (http.js:1261:11)
npm ERR!     at HTTPParser.onHeadersComplete (http.js:102:31)
npm ERR!     at CleartextStream.ondata (http.js:1150:24)
npm ERR!     at CleartextStream._push (tls.js:375:27)
npm ERR!     at SecurePair.cycle (tls.js:734:20)
npm ERR!     at EncryptedStream.write (tls.js:130:13)
npm ERR!     at Socket.ondata (stream.js:38:26)
npm ERR!     at Socket.emit (events.js:67:17)
npm ERR! Report this *entire* log at:
npm ERR!     <http://github.com/isaacs/npm/issues>
npm ERR! or email it to:
npm ERR!     <[email protected]>
npm ERR! 
npm ERR! System Linux 2.6.38-13-generic
npm ERR! command "node" "/usr/bin/npm" "install" "jed"
npm ERR! node -v v0.6.12
npm ERR! npm -v 1.0.104

Answer 1

Running the following helped resolve the issue:

npm config set strict-ssl false

I cannot comment on whether it will cause any other issues at this point in time.