PKIX path building failed: unable to find valid certification path to requested target - imported CERT

Question

I am trying to use get request on site with REST API. However the link to acces it is an IP address and I am getting the:

javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: sun.security.validator.ValidatorException: PKIX path building failed: sun.security.provider.certpath.SunCertPathBuilderException: unable to find valid certification path to requested target

When I use the same exact link in browser, it works.

How can I solve this issue?

Below is my code:

public static void main(String[] args) {

    System.getProperties().put( "proxySet", "true" );
    System.getProperties().put( "socksProxyHost", "xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" );
    System.getProperties().put( "socksProxyPort", "xxxx" );


    URL requestLink = ismTicketManager.UrlEncode.convertToURLEscapingIllegalCharacters("https://xx.xx.xx.xx/e/528f5016-6fd9-403f-85e4-5a54bb2498b9/api/v1/problem/feed?relativeTime=30mins&Api-Token=xxxxx");

    try {
        HttpURLConnection targetConn = (HttpURLConnection)requestLink.openConnection();
        targetConn.setRequestMethod("GET");
        System.out.println(targetConn.getResponseCode());
    } catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
        System.out.println("Connection failed");
    }

    static {
    HttpsURLConnection.setDefaultHostnameVerifier((hostname, session) -> hostname.equals("127.0.0.1"));
}

}

I exported the cert from firefox and imported it into the cacerts file: The cacerts file list looks like this:

restapi, 25-Sep-2018, trustedCertEntry, Certificate fingerprint (SHA1): AB:6D:C6:2E:9F:B3:D9:48:1E:A9:84:AA:DD:03:64:1D:7C:08:42:CE

How can I solve this?

EDIT: Solved thanks to Guillaume. My problem was that I have program files/JDK and program files/JRE. I was importing into the cacerts file in JDK, while eclipse was using the JRE. This was discovered thansk to the -Djavax.net.debug=ssl VM argument.

Also the IP in :

static {
    HttpsURLConnection.setDefaultHostnameVerifier((hostname, session) -> hostname.equals("10.31.17.38"));
}

should be equal to the one in the variable requestLink that I am using. In fact when I did not do this, I got an error telling me exactly that.

Answer 1

It could be that the website does not send the full certification path (including the root). Try adding this VM option: -Dcom.sun.security.enableAIAcaIssuers=true

When launching the Java program from command line, your command should look like that (as explained in the Oracle doc )

java -Dcom.sun.security.enableAIAcaIssuers=true <Main Class>

When launching from Eclipse the option should be added under "VM Arguments:"