DOCUMENT:Q198683 28-JUN-2001 [iis] TITLE :Err Msg: The Security Library Has Encountered an Improperly... PRODUCT :Internet Information Server PROD/VER:winnt:1.0,3.0,4.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.