IBM Support

PI20909: SAML WEB SINGLE-SIGN ON (SSO) IS CORRUPTING NL CHARACTERS ON VARIOUS ACTIONS/LOGINS

Fixes are available

8.5.5.4: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 4
8.0.0.10: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 10
7.0.0.37: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 37
8.5.5.5: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 5
8.5.5.6: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 6
8.0.0.11: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 11
8.5.5.7: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 7
7.0.0.39: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 39
8.5.5.8: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 8
8.0.0.12: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 12
8.5.5.9: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 9
7.0.0.41: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 41
8.5.5.10: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 10
8.5.5.11: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 11
8.0.0.13: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 13
7.0.0.43: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 43
8.5.5.12: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 12
8.0.0.14: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 14
8.5.5.13: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 13
7.0.0.45: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 45
8.0.0.15: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 15
7.0.0.45: Java SDK 1.6 SR16 FP60 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
8.5.5.14: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 14
8.5.5.15: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 15
8.5.5.14: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 14
8.5.5.17: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 17
8.5.5.20: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5.20
8.5.5.18: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 18
8.5.5.19: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 19
8.5.5.16: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 16
8.5.5.21: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5.21

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APAR status

  • Closed as program error.

Error description

  • When SAML Web Single Sign-on TAI is enabled, if the URL
    contains Accented or DBCS characters, the request is
    corrupted.  If a Wiki URL (with Accented or DBCS characters)
    is in a Notes doc, when clicked on, the characters are
    corrupted in Connections.
    

Local fix

Problem summary

  • ****************************************************************
    * USERS AFFECTED:  IBM WebSphere Application Server users of   *
    *                  SAML Web Single Sign-on (SSO)               *
    ****************************************************************
    * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The SAML Web Single Sign-on TAI may     *
    *                      corrupt content that contains accented  *
    *                      or DBCS characters.                     *
    ****************************************************************
    * RECOMMENDATION:  Install a fix pack that contains this       *
    *                  APAR.                                       *
    ****************************************************************
    When the SAML Web Single Sign-on TAI receives an HTTP servlet
    request that has accented or DBCS characters, and then the
    application receives the request, the characters may be
    corrupted.
    Here is an example from a trace of a corrupted URL that should
    have been /test/entry/T ??t :
    [6/25/14 11:24:27:174 IST] 00000103 EJSWebCollabo 3    Request
    Context Path=/blogs, Servlet Path=, Path
    Info=/test/entry/T ??st
    

Problem conclusion

  • When an HTTP servlet request is received that has no encoding
    set, it will be read in by the SAML TAI with the system
    default character encoding.  If the content is not encoded
    the same character encoding as the system default, the result
    will not be what was intended.
    
    After the SAML TAI reads the content, the encoding in the
    HTTPServletRequest will be set to the default and cannot be
    reset by the application.
    
    The SAML Web Single Sign-on runtime is updated so that it can
    use a user-identified character encoding instead of the
    default character encoding on the HTTP request.
    
    The following TAI custom property is added:
    
    sso_<id>.sp.charEncoding
    
    Set this property to the character encoding that you want to
    use to override the setting in the HTTPServletRequest.  This
    property has no default.  An example setting is "UTF-8".
    
    The following TAI custom property is also added:
    
    sso_<id>.sp.disableDecodeURL
    
    Valid values are true and false.  The default value is false.
    
    This property performs the same function as the
    com.ibm.ws.security.web.saml.disableDecodeURL security custom
    property that was added in APAR PI09544.  When you use the
    com.ibm.ws.security.web.saml.disableDecodeURL security custom
    property it will apply to all configured SSO service providers.
    You can use sso_<id>.sp.disableDecodeURL to apply the setting
    to individual SSO service providers.
    
    
    The fix for this APAR is currently targeted for inclusion in fix
     pack 7.0.0.37, 8.0.0.10, and 8.5.5.4.  Please refer to the
    Recommended Updates age for delivery information:
    http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg27004980
    
    Keywords: IBMWL3WSS, SAMLWSSO
    

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

  • APAR number

    PI20909

  • Reported component name

    WEBSPHERE APP S

  • Reported component ID

    5724J0800

  • Reported release

    850

  • Status

    CLOSED PER

  • PE

    NoPE

  • HIPER

    NoHIPER

  • Special Attention

    NoSpecatt / Xsystem

  • Submitted date

    2014-06-26

  • Closed date

    2014-08-12

  • Last modified date

    2015-09-09

  • 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

    WEBSPHERE APP S

  • Fixed component ID

    5724J0800

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":"8.5","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
27 April 2022