Troubleshooting SSL Connectivity
While integrating two clients and working on two way authentication, I had to troubleshoot SSL connectivity. Configuration file was my best tool I could use. There are a couple of things I used, and probably there’s a lot more I am not aware of.
ServicePointManager
ServicePointManager helps especially when validating server certificate, by allowing to review what are the errors and make a decision either to proceed or not. This is achieved through ServerCertificateValidationCallback event.
As well, I used configuration file to tweak a few things:
<servicePointManager checkCertificateRevocationList="false"
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #ff0000">checkCertificateName</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="false"</span> </pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #ff0000">expect100Continue</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="true"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">/></span></pre>
Same thing can be done through code (either on ServicePointManager directly, or on request object, ServicePoint property).
System.Diagnostics
Logging is an absolute must when you get an exception, and details of exception are not sufficient enough. Luckily, System.Net (and more nested namespaces) support logging that can be enabled (which reminds me to look under my nose and not to re-invent a wheel). After enabling these logs, I could get detailed trace of SSL communication which helped me a lot. To enable logs:
<system.diagnostics>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">sources</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">source</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net"</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">tracemode</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="includehex"</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">maxdatasize</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="1024"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">listeners</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">add</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">/></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">listeners</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">source</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">source</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net.Sockets"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">listeners</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">add</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">/></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">listeners</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">source</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">source</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net.Cache"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">listeners</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">add</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">/></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">listeners</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">source</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">sources</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">switches</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">add</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net"</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">value</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="Verbose"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">/></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">add</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net.Sockets"</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">value</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="Verbose"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">/></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">add</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net.Cache"</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">value</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="Verbose"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">/></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">switches</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">sharedListeners</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">add</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">name</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Net"</span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #ff0000">type</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="System.Diagnostics.TextWriterTraceListener"</span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #ff0000">initializeData</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="network.log"</span> <span style="color: #0000ff">/></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">sharedListeners</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: white; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"><</span><span style="color: #800000">trace</span> <span style="color: #ff0000">autoflush</span><span style="color: #0000ff">="true"</span><span style="color: #0000ff">/></span></pre>
<pre style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 12pt; border-right-style: none; background-color: #f4f4f4; margin: 0em; padding-left: 0px; width: 100%; padding-right: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monospace; direction: ltr; border-top-style: none; color: black; font-size: 8pt; border-left-style: none; overflow: visible; padding-top: 0px"> <span style="color: #0000ff"></</span><span style="color: #800000">system.diagnostics</span><span style="color: #0000ff">></span></pre>
Hopefully, this helps someone as it helped me.