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PM69851: TRAILING BLANK IN CERTIFICATE DISTINGUISHED NAME CAUSE CERTIFICA TE CHAINING ERROR

Fixes are available

7.0.0.27: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 27
8.5.0.2: WebSphere Application Server V8.5 Fix Pack 2
8.0.0.6: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 6
7.0.0.29: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 29
8.0.0.7: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 7
8.0.0.8: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 8
7.0.0.31: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 31
7.0.0.27: Java SDK 1.6 SR13 FP2 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.33: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 33
8.0.0.9: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 9
7.0.0.35: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 35
8.0.0.10: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 10
7.0.0.37: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 37
8.0.0.11: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 11
7.0.0.39: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 39
8.0.0.12: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 12
7.0.0.41: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 41
8.0.0.13: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 13
7.0.0.43: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 43
8.0.0.14: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 14
7.0.0.45: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 45
8.0.0.15: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 15
7.0.0.27: Java SDK 1.6 SR12 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.29: Java SDK 1.6 SR13 FP2 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.45: Java SDK 1.6 SR16 FP60 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.31: Java SDK 1.6 SR15 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.35: Java SDK 1.6 SR16 FP1 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.37: Java SDK 1.6 SR16 FP3 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.39: Java SDK 1.6 SR16 FP7 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.41: Java SDK 1.6 SR16 FP20 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.43: Java SDK 1.6 SR16 FP41 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server

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APAR status

  • Closed as program error.

Error description

  • This issue is seen in very limited scenario.
    
    Following steps illustrate how to reproduce the issue.
    
    1. Create a secure WebSphere profile using the advanced
    profile creation. On the page that says "Security Certificate
    (Part 2)" change the distinguished names from something like:
    
    cn=ABCDEFG.torolab.ibm.com,ou=ABCDEFGNode41Cell,ou=ABCDEFGNode41
    ,o=IBM,c=US
    and
    cn=ABCDEFG.torolab.ibm.com,ou=Root
    Certificate,ou=ABCDEFGNode41Cell,ou=ABCDEFGNode41,o=IBM,c=US
    
    To
    
    cn=ibmvmwinxpX.canlab.ibm.com,ou=ABCDEFGNode41Cell,ou=ABCDEFGNod
    e41,o=IBM,c=US
    and
    cn=ibmvmwinxpX.canlab.ibm.com,ou=Root
    Certificate,ou=ABCDEFGNode41Cell,ou=ABCDEFGNode41,o=IBM,c=US
    
    Basically the # of characters of "cn=_____" should equal 29.
    WebSphere will do a truncation if the name is > 32 characters.
    It will truncate to 31 characters. The result is something
    like this: "cn=ibmvmwinxpX.canlab.ibm.com, ".
    The trailing space is causing an issue.
    
    2. Start the server with the created profile using SOAP
    connection, the certificate will be added successfully into
    the trust store.
    
    3. Create another profile and follow the steps from 1
    
    4. Start the server with the created profile using SOAP
    connection, the chaining error will now occur:
    
    CWPKI0040I: An SSL handshake failure occurred from a secure
    client.  The server's SSL signer has to be added to the
    client's trust store.  A retrieveSigners utility is provided
    to download signers from the server but requires
    administrative permission.  Check with your administrator to
    have this utility run to setup the secure environment before
    running the client.  Alternatively, the
    com.ibm.ssl.enableSignerExchangePrompt can be enabled in
    ssl.client.props for "DefaultSSLSettings" in order to allow
    acceptance of the signer during the connection attempt.
    
    CWPKI0308I: Adding signer alias
    "CN=ibmvmwinxpX.canlab.ibm.com, " to local
               keystore "null" with the following SHA digest:
    
    31:4C:DC:F4:E6:10:20:C7:E1:64:0A:4A:0D:33:06:76:CD:9D:23:65.
    

Local fix

Problem summary

  • ****************************************************************
    * USERS AFFECTED:  All users of IBM WebSphere Application      *
    *                  Server who happened to have                 *
    *                  certificate that has distinguished name     *
    *                  with trailing space                         *
    ****************************************************************
    * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Certificate Chaining Error may be       *
    *                      caused by certificate that has          *
    *                      distinguished name with training        *
    *                      space.                                  *
    ****************************************************************
    * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
    ****************************************************************
    When two certificates with the same name were added added and
    if one had trailing space, WebSphere Application Server did not
    handle the trailing space properly.
    

Problem conclusion

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

  • APAR number

    PM69851

  • Reported component name

    WEBS APP SERV N

  • Reported component ID

    5724H8800

  • Reported release

    700

  • Status

    CLOSED PER

  • PE

    NoPE

  • HIPER

    NoHIPER

  • Special Attention

    NoSpecatt

  • Submitted date

    2012-07-30

  • Closed date

    2012-12-17

  • Last modified date

    2012-12-17

  • APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

  • APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

  • Fixed component name

    WEBS APP SERV N

  • Fixed component ID

    5724H8800

Applicable component levels

  • R700 PSY

       UP

  • R800 PSY

       UP

  • R850 PSY

       UP

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSEQTP","label":"WebSphere Application Server"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"7.0","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
29 October 2021