How to enable SSL debug when using the WebSphere application server with RSA Identity Governance & Lifecycle
Originally Published: 2015-08-14
Article Number
Applies To
RSA Version/Condition: All versions
Platform: WebSphere
Issue
This debug could be used to troubleshoot connectivity from:
- The Access Fulfillment Express (AFX) instance to the application server.
- The application server to a collector.
- A browser connecting to the application server.
- Using an unsupported TLS version.
- No common SSL ciphers between the client and server.
- An unsupported or invalid certificate attribute.
- Deprecated certificate signing algorithm.
- A keystore referenced in the debug is different than what was expected.
Resolution
SSL Debug Trace for IBM WebSphere
CAUTION: These traces should be removed as soon as you have reproduced the problem and collected the trace. This debug trace generates a significant amount of events in the WebSphere SystemOut.log file.
- In the WebSphere Application Server (WAS) Admin Console, navigate to Servers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers, then select the server name.
- Under Server Infrastructure, expand Java and Process Management > Process definition > Java Virtual Machine.
- Add the following to the end of the Generic JVM Arguments box:
-Djavax.net.debug=ssl,handshake,data,trustmanager
- Save to the master config, and restart the server for it to take hold.
- This will add debug trace of the SSL handshake to the <Websphere installation>/<AppServer>/profiles/<profile name>/logs/<server name>/SystemOut.log
NOTE: To get useful/verbose messages, the IBM Trust manager may need to be changed from IbmPKIX to IbmX509. This setting is in the WebSphere Admin GUI under Security > SSL Certificate and Key Management > SSL configurations > Select Resource > Trust and Key Managers. The default trust manager for that resource can be changed using the pull-down menu.
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