1. Security Developer’s Guide
  2. Java Generic Security Services (Java GSS-API)
  3. Introduction to JAAS and Java GSS-API Tutorials
  4. Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

The following are some problems that may occur when attempting a login, and suggestions for solving them.

  • Configurable Kerberos Settings: The Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) name and realm settings are provided in the Kerberos configuration file or via the system properties java.security.krb5.kdc and java.security.krb5.realm. A boolean option refreshKrb5Config can be specified in the entry for Krb5LoginModule in the JAAS configuration file. If this option is set to true, then the configuration values will be refreshed before the login method of the Krb5LoginModule is called.

    Note:

    When switching Kerberos configurations, it is REQUIRED that refreshKrb5Config should be set to true. Failure to set this value can lead to unexpected results.

  • java.lang.SecurityException at javax.security.auth.login.Configuration.getConfiguration

    Cause: There was a problem processing the JAAS login configuration file, possibly due to a syntax error in the file.

    Solution: Check the configuration file carefully for errors. See Appendix B: JAAS Login Configuration File for information about the syntax required in the login configuration file.

  • javax.security.auth.login.LoginException: KrbException: Pre-authentication information was invalid (24) - Preauthentication failed

    Cause 1: The password entered is incorrect.

    Solution 1: Verify the password.

    Cause 2: If you are using the keytab to get the key (e.g., by setting the useKeyTab option to true in the Krb5LoginModule entry in the JAAS login configuration file), then the key might have changed since you updated the keytab.

    Solution 2: Consult your Kerberos documentation to generate a new keytab and use that keytab.

    Cause 3: Clock skew - If the time on the KDC and on the client differ significantly (typically 5 minutes), this error can be returned.

    Solution 3: Synchronize the clocks (or have a system administrator do so).Cause 4: The Kerberos realm name is not all uppercase.

    Solution 4: Make the Kerberos realm name all uppercase. Note: It is recommended to have all uppercase realm names. See Naming Conventions for Realm Names and Hostnames.

  • GSSException: No valid credentials provided (Mechanism level: Attempt to obtain new INITIATE credentials failed! (null)) . . . Caused by: javax.security.auth.login.LoginException: Clock skew too great

    Cause: Kerberos requires the time on the KDC and on the client to be loosely synchronized. (The default is within 5 minutes.) If that's not the case, you will get this error.

    Solution: Synchronize the clocks (or have a system administrator do so).

  • javax.security.auth.login.LoginException: KrbException: Null realm name (601) - default realm not specified

    Cause: The default realm is not specified in the Kerberos configuration file krb5.conf (if used), provided as a part of the user name, or specified via the java.security.krb5.realm system property.

    Solution: Verify that your Kerberos configuration file (if used) contains an entry specifying the default realm, or directly specify it by setting the value of the java.security.krb5.realm system property and/or including it in your user name when authenticating using Kerberos.

  • javax.security.auth.login.LoginException: java.net.SocketTimeoutException: Receive timed out

    Solution: Verify that the Kerberos KDC is up and running.

  • GSSException: No valid credentials provided (Mechanism level: Failed to find any Kerberos Ticket)

    Cause: This may occur if no valid Kerberos credentials are obtained. In particular, this occurs if you want the underlying mechanism to obtain credentials but you forgot to indicate this by setting the javax.security.auth.useSubjectCredsOnly system property value to false (for example via -Djavax.security.auth.useSubjectCredsOnly=false in your execution command).

    Solution: Be sure to set the javax.security.auth.useSubjectCredsOnly system property value to false if you want the underlying mechanism to obtain credentials, rather than your application or a wrapper program (such as the Login utility used by some of the tutorials) performing authentication using JAAS.

  • javax.security.auth.login.LoginException: Could not load configuration file <krb5.conf> (No such file or directory)

    Cause: The tutorials' sample execution commands specify the default Kerberos realm and KDC by setting values for the java.security.krb5.realm and java.security.krb5.kdc system properties. If you like, you can instead have a krb5.conf Kerberos configuration file used. Such a file includes information about what the default realm and KDC are. To use a krb5.conf file, you either set the system property java.security.krb5.conf (instead of the realm and kdc properties) to specify the location of the file or you don't set any of these properties and therefore an attempt is made to locate the krb5.conf file in a default location. You will get the error "Could not load configuration file <krb5.conf> (No such file or directory)" if the file could not be found.

    Solution: Verify that the Kerberos configuration file krb5.conf is available and readable. Check Kerberos Requirements for information about how to specify the location of the krb5.conf file and where such a file is searched for by default if you don't explicitly indicate the location.

  • javax.security.auth.login.LoginException: KrbException: KDC has no support for encryption type (14) - KDC has no support for encryption type

    Cause 1: Your KDC does not support the encryption type requested.

    Solution 1: Oracle’s implementation of Kerberos supports the following encryption types: aes256-cts-hmac-sha1-96, aes128-cts-hmac-sha1-96, des3-cbc-sha1, arcfour-hmac-md5, des-cbc-crc, and des-cbc-md5.

    Applications can select the desired encryption type by specifying following tags in the Kerberos Configuration file krb5.conf: 

    [libdefaults]
default_tkt_enctypes = des-cbc-md5 des-cbc-crc des3-cbc-sha1
default_tgs_enctypes = des-cbc-md5 des-cbc-crc des3-cbc-sha1
permitted_enctypes = des-cbc-md5 des-cbc-crc des3-cbc-sha1

    If not specified, then the default value is: 

    aes256-cts-hmac-sha1-96 aes128-cts-hmac-sha1-96 des3-cbc-sha1 arcfour-hmac-md5

    If allow_weak_crypto in krb5.conf is set to true, then des-cbc-crc and des-cbc-md5 are also supported.

    Cause 2: This exception is thrown when using native ticket cache on some Windows platforms. Microsoft has added a new feature in which they no longer export the session keys for Ticket-Granting Tickets (TGTs). As a result, the native TGT obtained on Windows has an "empty" session key and null EType.

    Solution 2: You need to update the Windows registry to disable this new feature. The registry key allowtgtsessionkey should be added – and set correctly – to allow session keys to be sent in the Kerberos Ticket-Granting Ticket. Usually, the following is the required registry setting: 

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\Kerberos\Parameters
Value Name: allowtgtsessionkey
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0x01  ( default is 0 )

    By default, the value is 0; setting it to "0x01" allows a session key to be included in the TGT.

  • KDC reply did not match expectations

    Cause: The KDC sent a response that cannot be understood by the client.

    Solution: Verify that you have set correctly all the krb5.conf file configuration parameters and consult your KDC vendor's guide.

    Note:

    A debugging mode can be enabled by setting the system property sun.security.krb5.debug to "true". This setting allows you to follow the program's execution of the Kerberos V5 protocol.