JR40606: CMVC 213549 - PREVENT A NULLPOINTER EXCEPTION HAPPENING WHEN THE USER-AGENT HEADER FROM THE HTTP REQUEST IS NULL.

7.0.0-WS-WCServer-FP009
WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0.0.5 Fix Pack
WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0.0.6 Fix Pack
WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0.0.7 Fix Pack
WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0.0.8 Fix Pack
WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0.0.9 Fix Pack

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• In WebSphere Commerce, the null User-Agent HTTP request is not
  being handled correctly. When an HTTP request with a null
  User-Agent header is submitted to access a store home page, a
  blank page will be returned and meanwhile a
  java.lang.NullPointerException having the following stack trace
  gets thrown:
  
  00000025 CommerceSrvr  E
  com.ibm.commerce.webcontroller.RuntimeServletFilter
  doFilterAction CMN0409E: The following error occurred during
  processing:
  "java.lang.NullPointerException".java.lang.NullPointerException
      at java.util.Hashtable.get(Hashtable.java:518)
      at
  com.ibm.commerce.foundation.internal.server.services.httpdevice.
  config.DeviceConfiguration$DeviceLookupTable.get(DeviceConfigura
  tion.java:161)
      at
  com.ibm.commerce.foundation.internal.server.services.httpdevice.
  config.DeviceConfiguration.getDevice(DeviceConfiguration.java:40
  2)
      at
  com.ibm.commerce.foundation.internal.server.services.httpdevice.
  impl.DeviceConfigurationServiceSourceImpl.getDevice(DeviceConfig
  urationServiceSourceImpl.java:75)
      at
  com.ibm.commerce.foundation.internal.server.services.httpdevice.
  DeviceService.getDevice(DeviceService.java:106)
      at
  com.ibm.commerce.webcontroller.RuntimeServletFilter.doFilterActi
  on(RuntimeServletFilter.java:339)
      at
  com.ibm.commerce.webcontroller.RuntimeServletFilter.access$0(Run
  timeServletFilter.java:247)
      at
  com.ibm.commerce.webcontroller.RuntimeServletFilter$1.run(Runtim
  eServletFilter.java:210)
      at
  com.ibm.commerce.webcontroller.RuntimeServletFilter.doFilter(Run
  timeServletFilter.java:231)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.FilterInstanceWrapper.doFilter(Fi
  lterInstanceWrapper.java:188)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebApp
  FilterChain.java:116)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterChain._doFilter(WebAp
  pFilterChain.java:77)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.filter.WebAppFilterManager.doFilter(WebA
  ppFilterManager.java:908)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.servlet.ServletWrapper.handleRequest(Ser
  vletWrapper.java:934)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.servlet.ServletWrapper.handleRequest(Ser
  vletWrapper.java:502)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.servlet.ServletWrapperImpl.handleRequest
  (ServletWrapperImpl.java:179)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebApp.handleRequest(WebApp.java:
  3933)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webapp.WebGroup.handleRequest(WebGroup.j
  ava:276)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.WebContainer.handleRequest(WebContainer.
  java:931)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.WSWebContainer.handleRequest(WSWebContai
  ner.java:1583)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.channel.WCChannelLink.ready(WCChannelLin
  k.java:186)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.http.channel.inbound.impl.HttpInboundLink.handleDiscr
  imination(HttpInboundLink.java:452)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.http.channel.inbound.impl.HttpInboundLink.handleNewRe
  quest(HttpInboundLink.java:511)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.http.channel.inbound.impl.HttpInboundLink.processRequ
  est(HttpInboundLink.java:305)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.http.channel.inbound.impl.HttpICLReadCallback.complet
  e(HttpICLReadCallback.java:78)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.tcp.channel.impl.AioReadCompletionListener.futureComp
  leted(AioReadCompletionListener.java:165)
      at
  com.ibm.io.async.AbstractAsyncFuture.invokeCallback(AbstractAsyn
  cFuture.java:217)
      at
  com.ibm.io.async.AsyncChannelFuture.fireCompletionActions(AsyncC
  hannelFuture.java:161)
      at
  com.ibm.io.async.AsyncFuture.completed(AsyncFuture.java:138)
      at
  com.ibm.io.async.ResultHandler.complete(ResultHandler.java:204)
      at
  com.ibm.io.async.ResultHandler.runEventProcessingLoop(ResultHand
  ler.java:775)
      at
  com.ibm.io.async.ResultHandler$2.run(ResultHandler.java:905)
      at
  com.ibm.ws.util.ThreadPool$Worker.run(ThreadPool.java:1604)
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• USERS AFFECTED:
  WebSphere Commerce users on v7.0
  
  PROBLEM ABSTRACT:
  A null User-Agent header from an HTTP request causes a
  NullPointerException
  
  BUSINESS IMPACT:
  Not able to access the store when the User-Agent in the HTTP
  header of a request is null
  
  RECOMMENDATION:
  

Problem conclusion

• The problem happens when WebSphere Commerce is trying to perform
  device mapping lookup and observes the null user-agent string.
  The fix is to check if the user agent is null, and if so, do not
  perform the device mapping lookup.
  -------------------------------------------------------------
  The latest available maintenance information can be obtained
  from the Recommended Fixes for WebSphere Commerce technote:
  http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=3046&uid=swg21261296
  

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

  WC BUS EDITION

• Fixed component ID

  5724I3800

Applicable component levels

• R700 PSY

     UP