Why Is My Java Client Certificate Missing During the SSL Handshake?

Java's SSL Handshake Behavior: Why the Client Certificate May Be Absent

During an SSL handshake, Java may encounter issues sending the client certificate to the server. To resolve this, understanding the behavior and configuration of the handshake process is crucial.

Java's Handling of Certificate Chains

When verifying the client certificate, Java examines the keystore for a certificate signed by the CA specified in the server's request. However, if Java finds only the client certificate signed by a SubCA (instead of the RootCA), it assumes there is no match and ignores all other certificates.

Potential Causes of Certificate Chain Interruption

1. Incomplete Certificate Chain in Keystore:

   Adding the SubCA certificate to the keystore may not have established the proper certificate chain. Ensure that the intermediate certificate is imported and associated with the client certificate's alias to complete the chain.

2. Configuration on the Server Side:

   The server may request a certificate signed by the RootCA, which Java cannot provide due to the incomplete chain in the keystore. It's important to clarify with the server to determine the expected certificate chain.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Use keytool to verify that the client certificate and SubCA certificate are associated in the keystore.
2. Export the client certificate from the keystore.
3. Create a PEM file that includes the client certificate and the complete certificate chain (including the RootCA certificate if necessary).
4. Re-import the PEM file into the keystore, associating it with the client certificate's alias.

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