Err Msg: The Security Library Has Encountered an Improperly Formatted DER-Encoded Message (198683)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Certificate Server 1.0
  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 3.0
  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q198683
We strongly recommend that all users upgrade to Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. IIS 6.0 significantly increases Web infrastructure security. For more information about IIS security-related topics, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/IIS.mspx

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.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/22/2005
Keywords:kbhowto KB198683
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