IBM Support

PM12970: JAX-WS WS-SECURITY DOES NOT TOLERATE NEWLINES IN BASE64 ENCODED TEXT

Fixes are available

7.0.0.15: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 15 for AIX
7.0.0.15: Java SDK 1.6 SR9 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.15: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 15 for HP-UX
7.0.0.15: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 15 for IBM i
7.0.0.15: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 15 for Linux
7.0.0.15: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 15 for Solaris
7.0.0.15: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 15 for Windows
7.0.0.17: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 17
7.0.0.17: Java SDK 1.6 SR9 FP1 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.19: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 19
7.0.0.21: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 21
7.0.0.23: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 23
7.0.0.25: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 25
7.0.0.27: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 27
7.0.0.29: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 29
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
7.0.0.35: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 35
7.0.0.37: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 37
7.0.0.39: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 39
7.0.0.41: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 41
7.0.0.43: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 43
7.0.0.45: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 45
7.0.0.19: Java SDK 1.6 SR9 FP2 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
7.0.0.21: Java SDK 1.6 SR9 FP2 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere
7.0.0.23: Java SDK 1.6 SR10 FP1 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere
7.0.0.25: Java SDK 1.6 SR11 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
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

  • When the JAX-WS WS-Security runtime encounters a newline in
    Base64 encoded text, an error like the following may occur:
    
    CWWSS5601E: The following exception occured while decrypting
    the message: org.apache.axiom.om.OMException:
    java.lang.RuntimeException: Bad character exits in Base64 array
    

Local fix

  • No wor around noted at this time.
    

Problem summary

  • ****************************************************************
    * USERS AFFECTED:  IBM WebSphere Application Server V7.0       *
    *                  users of WS-Security enabled JAX-WS         *
    *                  applications                                *
    ****************************************************************
    * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The JAX-WS WS-Security runtime does     *
    *                      not properly handle newline             *
    *                      characters in Base64 encoded            *
    *                      text                                    *
    ****************************************************************
    * RECOMMENDATION:  Install a fix pack that includes this APAR. *
    ****************************************************************
    If the JAX-WS WS-Security runtime encounters newline
    characters in the Base64 encoded text in a SOAP
    Security header, an error similar to one of the following may
    occur.
    
    Error example 1:
    
    CWWSS5601E: The following exception occured while decrypting
    the message: org.apache.axiom.om.OMException:
    java.lang.RuntimeException: Bad character exits in Base64 array
    at
    org.apache.axiom.om.impl.builder.StAXOMBuilder.next(StAXOMBuilde
    r.java:252)
    ...
    Caused by: java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException: Array
    index out of range: -1
    at
    com.ibm.ws.wssecurity.util.io.Base64Table.decode0(Base64Table.ja
    va:368)
    
    Error example 2:
    
    com.ibm.wsspi.wssecurity.core.SoapSecurityException:
    CWWSS5601E: The following exception occured while decrypting
    the message: Input length not multiple of 4 bytes/chars:
    java.lang.RuntimeException: Input length not multiple of 4
    bytes/chars
     at
    com.ibm.wsspi.wssecurity.core.SoapSecurityException.format(SoapS
    ecurityException.java:113)
     at
    com.ibm.ws.wssecurity.enc.EncryptionConsumer.decryptEncryptedKey
    (EncryptionConsumer.java:950)
     at
    com.ibm.ws.wssecurity.enc.EncryptionConsumer.decrypt(EncryptionC
    onsumer.java:787)
     at
    com.ibm.ws.wssecurity.enc.EncryptionConsumer.invoke(EncryptionCo
    nsumer.java:294)
    

Problem conclusion

  • The JAX-WS runtime decodes inbound Base64 encoded data using a
    table, four bytes at a time.  The data is run through the
    table assuming that all the characters contained within the
    data are valid Base64 characters.  A newline character is not
    valid Base64 character.
    
    However, some web services implementations split all the lines
    of Base64 encoded data in their outbound SOAP messages with a
    newline character on a fixed boundary; for instance, 76
    characters.
    
    In order for WebSphere WS-Security to interoperate properly
    with those web services implementations, the newline
    characters that occur in the Base64 encoded text must be
    tolerated.
    
    The WS-Security runtime is updated to discard newline
    characters that exist in the Base64 encoded text.
    
    The fix for this APAR is currently targeted for inclusion in
    fix pack 7.0.0.15.  Please refer to the Recommended Updates
    page for delivery information:
    http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg27004980
    

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

  • APAR number

    PM12970

  • Reported component name

    WEBSPHERE APP S

  • Reported component ID

    5724J0800

  • Reported release

    700

  • Status

    CLOSED PER

  • PE

    NoPE

  • HIPER

    NoHIPER

  • Special Attention

    NoSpecatt

  • Submitted date

    2010-04-23

  • Closed date

    2010-09-07

  • Last modified date

    2011-01-20

  • 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

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU053","label":"Cloud & Data Platform"},"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:
24 October 2021