IT35089: XMS .NET client applications fail to connect to queue manager when using tls and JNDI connectionFactory

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When a  XMS .NET v9.1 application uses JNDI lookup to connect to
  queue manager,the ciphersuite value provided in JNDI definition
  is not mapped correctly and following error is thrown by the
  application:
  XMSException caught: IBM.XMS.XMSException: CWSMQ0006E: An
  exception was received during the call to the method
  ConnectionFactory.CreateConnection:
  System.NullReferenceException:
  Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
     at IBM.XMS.Util.SupportClass.GetCipherSpecValue
     at IBM.XMS.Client.WMQ.WmqConnection.GetConnectOptions
     at IBM.XMS.Client.WMQ.WmqConnection..ctor
     :
     :
  

Local fix

• By setting explicitly CipherSpec in the application code, the
  application connects with success. Here is an example of code:
  connFactory.SetStringProperty(XMSC.WMQ_SSL_CIPHER_SPEC,
  "ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA384");
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  USERS AFFECTED:
  XMS .NET applications using JNDI ConnectionFactory to establish
  a TLS connection to the queue manager
  
  
  Platforms affected:
  Windows
  
  ****************************************************************
  PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
  A NullReferenceException is thrown by an XMS .NET application if
  a TLS connection with a specific CipherSpec is made using JNDI
  connectionFactory.
  

Problem conclusion

• XMS .NET uses a Hashtable for CipherSpec mapping when a TLS
  Connection is used. The hashtable isn't initialized with the
  supported list of CipherSpec because of which a
  NullReferenceException is thrown. The code has been modified to
  initialize the Hashtable with a supported list of CipherSpecs.
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  The fix is targeted for delivery in the following PTFs:
  
  Version    Maintenance Level
  v9.1 LTS   9.1.0.11
  v9.2 LTS   9.2.0.5
  v9.x CD    9.2.5
  
  The latest available maintenance can be obtained from
  'WebSphere MQ Recommended Fixes'
  http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=171&uid=swg27006037
  
  If the maintenance level is not yet available information on
  its planned availability can be found in 'WebSphere MQ
  Planned Maintenance Release Dates'
  http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=171&uid=swg27006309
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• 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

  IBM MQ BASE MP

• Fixed component ID

  5724H7271

Applicable component levels