PM69554: THE ERROR MESSAGE SRVE0255E RETURNS TO A CLIENT BROWSER IF THE APPLICATION IS DOWN

8.5.0.1: WebSphere Application Server V8.5 Fix Pack 1
8.5.0.2: WebSphere Application Server V8.5 Fix Pack 2

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• This error message SRVE0255E: A WebGroup/Virtual Host to handle
  {0} has not been defined returns to a client browser if the
  application is accessed when it is down. The client may be able
  to identify the running web server is WebSphere Application
  Server because this message is unique to Application Server,
  which may not be good from security point of view. Web
  container is expected to return a simple 404 error page
  without this message included in the response.
  

Local fix

• N/A
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:  All users of IBM WebSphere Application      *
  *                  Server Liberty Profile                      *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The error message returned when an      *
  *                      application is not found indicates      *
  *                      that the request is serviced by IBM     *
  *                      WebSphere Application Server.           *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  When the virtual host for a requested URL can not be found a
  default error message is returned by the WebSphere
  Application Server.  If this message is not useful or
  acceptable by the managers of the Application Server, then
  it can be changed by using this newly added custom property
  of: webGroupVhostNotFound.
  A translated default message was also added to Liberty to
  replace the English only message.
  

Problem conclusion

• Webcontainer code has been modified to provide a new custom
  property, webGroupVhostNotFound, which allows a customer to
  provide a user defined String value as the message text.
  
  If this property is not set then the message text will be the
  SRVE0255E error message.
  
  
  The fix for this APAR is currently targeted for inclusion in
  fix pack 8.5.0.1.  Please refer to the Recommended Updates
  page for delivery information:
  http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg27004980
  
  
  Notes:
  
  
  1) If there is an application installed and running which has
  a context root of "/", even after setting
  com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webgroupvhostnotfound Custom Property
  , a different error message may be returned: "Error 404: No
  target servlet configured for uri: /<name>".
  To prevent this, either stop the application or re-install the
  application with a different context root.  Note that the
  sample application DefaultApplication uses a context root of
  "/".
  
  2) After setting com.ibm.ws.webcontainer.webgroupvhostnotfound
  Custom Property, on some versions of Microsoft Internet
  Explorer a 404 Error may still be returned. This is because,
  by default Microsoft Internet Explorer is configured to
  replace an error message of less than 512 bytes returned by a
  webserver, with a message of its own.
  To overcome this problem either ensure that the
  message defined in the custom property is longer than 512
  bytes or configure Microsoft Internet Explorer to not replace
  error messages.
  
  For example, to prevent Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 8.x
  from replacing an error message:.
  
  Internet Explorer > Tools menu > Internet Options > Advanced
  Tab > Browsing
  Uncheck the "Show Friendly HTTP error messages" option.
  
  For more information you can look at
  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294807
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

  PK85685

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  LIBERTY PROFILE

• Fixed component ID

  5724J0814

Applicable component levels

• R850 PSY

     UP