KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q198683: Err Msg: The Security Library Has Encountered an Improperly…

Article: Q198683
Product(s): Internet Information Server
Version(s): winnt:1.0,3.0,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 28-JUN-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Certificate Server version 1.0 
- Microsoft Internet Information Server versions 3.0, 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When you use a server certificate issued by Microsoft Certificate Server, the
following error may occur in Netscape Navigator and Netscape Communicator when
you connect to a secure Web server using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL):

  The security library has encountered an improperly formatted DER-encoded
  message.

CAUSE
=====

This error occurs because the browser is unable to correctly parse the server
certificate.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, correct the certificate by re-issuing the server
certificate and making sure the Distinguished Name (DN) uses only valid
PrintableString characters.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Most X.509 certificates use strings called PrintableString to represent text
information. PrintableStrings are strings of characters contained within the set
{ a-zA-Z0-9'()+,-./:=? } and the space character. Microsoft Certificate Server
is not restricted to using these characters however. If any part of the DN in
the certificate is not a PrintableString, then Certificate Server will use
another string type such as Unicode. The Netscape parser cannot understand
Unicode, and therefore, issues the above error.

The third-party products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent
of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these
products' performance or reliability.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbiisSearch kbiis400 kbiis300 kbCertServSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbCertServ100
Version           : winnt:1.0,3.0,4.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.