Call API on server that is signed using Self-Signed Certificate

Question

I'm working on an Android application that call some API s over https . using retrofit2 and okhttp3 . During my development I use a self-signed certificate that I generate in server. I face a lot of problems in calling API s as I'm using a self-signed certificate, I solve them all but stuck on this exception SSLPeerUnverifiedException .

Currently I had copy my certificate ServerCertificate.cer to Download directory in order to load it and add it to allowed KeyStore . I try a lot of solutions from different websites. I try okhttp CustomTrust and from Android developer website

I write below code depending on Android developer example:

X509TrustManager mTrustManager = null;

private Retrofit getRetrofit(String identity, String serverBaseUrl) {
        Retrofit retrofit = null;

        try {
            OkHttpClient okHttpClient = new OkHttpClient.Builder()
                    .sslSocketFactory(getSSLConfig().getSocketFactory(), mTrustManager)
                    .addInterceptor(new CustomInterceptor(identity))
                    .addInterceptor((new okhttp3.logging.HttpLoggingInterceptor())
.setLevel(okhttp3.logging.HttpLoggingInterceptor.Level.BODY))
                    .connectTimeout(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
                    .readTimeout(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
                    .writeTimeout(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS)
                    .build();
            retrofit = new Retrofit.Builder()
                    .baseUrl(serverBaseUrl)
                    .client(okHttpClient)
                    .addConverterFactory(GsonConverterFactory.create())
                    .build();

        } catch (Exception ex) {

        }

        return retrofit;
    }

private SSLContext getSSLConfig() throws Exception {
        FileHelper fileHelper = FileHelper.getInstance();
        String cerFilePath = "/storage/emulated/0/Download/ServerCertificate.cer";


        CertificateFactory cf = CertificateFactory.getInstance("X.509");
        InputStream caInput = new FileInputStream(cerFilePath);
        Certificate ca;
        try {
            ca = cf.generateCertificate(caInput);
            //Below line print: ca=CN=SS_CEM_5_4
            System.out.println("ca=" + ((X509Certificate) ca).getSubjectDN());
        } finally {
            caInput.close();
        }

        String keyStoreType = KeyStore.getDefaultType();
        KeyStore keyStore = KeyStore.getInstance(keyStoreType);
        keyStore.load(null, null);
        keyStore.setCertificateEntry("ca", ca);

        String tmfAlgorithm = TrustManagerFactory.getDefaultAlgorithm();
        TrustManagerFactory tmf = TrustManagerFactory.getInstance(tmfAlgorithm);
        tmf.init(keyStore);

        SSLContext context = SSLContext.getInstance("TLS");
        context.init(null, tmf.getTrustManagers(), null);

        mTrustManager = (X509TrustManager) tmf.getTrustManagers()[0];

        return context;
    }

Currently when I call any API I get following exception:

 Exception occurred while calling heartbeat
    javax.net.ssl.SSLPeerUnverifiedException: Hostname ss_cem_5_4 not verified:
        certificate: sha256/OUxkHCacC0q0+ZQpL/3V1jFgV57CXweub/lSSUXsAZw=
        DN: CN=\00S\00S\00_\00C\00E\00M\00_\005\00_\004
        subjectAltNames: []
        at okhttp3.internal.connection.RealConnection.connectTls(RealConnection.java:330)
        at okhttp3.internal.connection.RealConnection.establishProtocol(RealConnection.java:283)
        at okhttp3.internal.connection.RealConnection.connect(RealConnection.java:168)
        at okhttp3.internal.connection.StreamAllocation.findConnection(StreamAllocation.java:257)
        at okhttp3.internal.connection.StreamAllocation.findHealthyConnection(StreamAllocation.java:135)
        at okhttp3.internal.connection.StreamAllocation.newStream(StreamAllocation.java:114)
        at okhttp3.internal.connection.ConnectInterceptor.intercept(ConnectInterceptor.java:42)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RealInterceptorChain.proceed(RealInterceptorChain.java:147)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RealInterceptorChain.proceed(RealInterceptorChain.java:121)
        at okhttp3.internal.cache.CacheInterceptor.intercept(CacheInterceptor.java:93)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RealInterceptorChain.proceed(RealInterceptorChain.java:147)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RealInterceptorChain.proceed(RealInterceptorChain.java:121)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.BridgeInterceptor.intercept(BridgeInterceptor.java:93)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RealInterceptorChain.proceed(RealInterceptorChain.java:147)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RetryAndFollowUpInterceptor.intercept(RetryAndFollowUpInterceptor.java:126)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RealInterceptorChain.proceed(RealInterceptorChain.java:147)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RealInterceptorChain.proceed(RealInterceptorChain.java:121)
        at co.sedco.sevicesbase.managementproxy.webproxy.CustomInterceptor.intercept(CustomInterceptor.java:39)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RealInterceptorChain.proceed(RealInterceptorChain.java:147)
        at okhttp3.internal.http.RealInterceptorChain.proceed(RealInterceptorChain.java:121)
        at okhttp3.RealCall.getResponseWithInterceptorChain(RealCall.java:254)
        at okhttp3.RealCall.execute(RealCall.java:92)
        at retrofit2.OkHttpCall.execute(OkHttpCall.java:186)
        at retrofit2.ExecutorCallAdapterFactory$ExecutorCallbackCall.execute(ExecutorCallAdapterFactory.java:92)
        at co.sedco.sevicesbase.managementproxy.webproxy.ManagementWebProxy.callHeartbeat(ManagementWebProxy.java:271)
        at co.sedco.sevicesbase.heartbeat.HeartbeatManager$CallHeartbeatTimerTask.run(HeartbeatManager.java:91)
        at java.util.TimerThread.mainLoop(Timer.java:555)
        at java.util.TimerThread.run(Timer.java:505)

I only managed to make self-signed certificate work by adding HostnameVerifier to OkHttpClient and override Verify function to always return true , but this solution is not acceptable, I believe that I will encounter a situations where I have to use a self-signed certificate in customer server (Although it is not recommended).

I'm calling Server using Url: https://ss_cem_5_4/Portal/api/GetHeartbeat

I also should mention that I was unable to call server through server name so I modified hosts file in path '/system/etc/' to add mapping for my server. (I'm working on a rooted device)

Answer 1

After many hours searching for a solution for the problem finally it has been solved. I will write here my solution in case anyone face same problem.

First there was a problem in Self-Signed certificate , as Patrick Mevzek mention in the comments subjectAltNames was empty, and after checking how OkHostnameVerifier verify the server you are calling is trusted or not, it check subjectAltNames that server name in the Url match any name in certificate subjectAltNames .

Previously I was generating my self-signed certificate using IIS and it appear that it only fill certificate Common Name CN and keep subjectAltNames empty. I had a hint regarding this problem from following stackoverflow answer . In order to solve this problem I generate a new license by running below command on server PowerShell .

New-SelfSignedCertificate -DnsName "ss_cem_5_4" -CertStoreLocation "cert:\LocalMachine\My"

Please make sure to run PowerShell as administrator, and for more information regarding New-SelfSignedCertificate command parameters you can check this Microsoft website .

My second problem (or requirement) was to trust my self-signed certificate, I try some solutions but they all led to only trust my certificate, I was unable to call websites which have a certificate that is trusted by Android by default, so I search for a solution to extend Android trusted certificates, and with the help of this stackoverflow answer I manage to accomplish that, and below is my full code.

Below class is used to extend Android trusted certificates:

import java.io.IOException;
import java.net.InetAddress;
import java.net.Socket;
import java.net.UnknownHostException;
import java.security.KeyManagementException;
import java.security.KeyStore;
import java.security.KeyStoreException;
import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException;
import java.security.UnrecoverableKeyException;
import java.security.cert.CertificateException;
import java.security.cert.X509Certificate;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Arrays;

import javax.net.ssl.SSLContext;
import javax.net.ssl.SSLSocketFactory;
import javax.net.ssl.TrustManager;
import javax.net.ssl.TrustManagerFactory;
import javax.net.ssl.X509TrustManager;

public class AdditionalKeyStoresSSLSocketFactory extends SSLSocketFactory {
    protected SSLContext sslContext = SSLContext.getInstance("TLS");

    public TrustManager[] TrustManager;

    public AdditionalKeyStoresSSLSocketFactory(KeyStore keyStore) throws NoSuchAlgorithmException, KeyManagementException, KeyStoreException, UnrecoverableKeyException {
        //super(null, null, null, null, null, null);
        super();
        TrustManager = new TrustManager[]{new AdditionalKeyStoresTrustManager(keyStore)};
        sslContext.init(null, TrustManager, null);
    }

    @Override
    public Socket createSocket(Socket socket, String host, int port, boolean autoClose) throws IOException {
        return sslContext.getSocketFactory().createSocket(socket, host, port, autoClose);
    }

    @Override
    public Socket createSocket(String host, int port, InetAddress localHost, int localPort) throws IOException {
        return sslContext.getSocketFactory().createSocket(host, port, localHost, localPort);
    }

    @Override
    public Socket createSocket(String host, int port) throws IOException {
        return sslContext.getSocketFactory().createSocket(host, port);
    }

    @Override
    public Socket createSocket(InetAddress host, int port) throws IOException {
        return sslContext.getSocketFactory().createSocket(host, port);
    }

    @Override
    public Socket createSocket(InetAddress address, int port, InetAddress localAddress, int localPort) throws IOException {
        return sslContext.getSocketFactory().createSocket(address, port, localAddress, localPort);
    }

    @Override
    public Socket createSocket() throws IOException {
        return sslContext.getSocketFactory().createSocket();
    }

    @Override
    public String[] getDefaultCipherSuites() {
        return sslContext.getSocketFactory().getDefaultCipherSuites();
    }

    @Override
    public String[] getSupportedCipherSuites() {
        return sslContext.getSocketFactory().getSupportedCipherSuites();
    }

    /**
     * Based on http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/guide/security/jsse/JSSERefGuide.html#X509TrustManager
     */
    public static class AdditionalKeyStoresTrustManager implements X509TrustManager {

        protected ArrayList<X509TrustManager> x509TrustManagers = new ArrayList<X509TrustManager>();


        protected AdditionalKeyStoresTrustManager(KeyStore... additionalkeyStores) {
            final ArrayList<TrustManagerFactory> factories = new ArrayList<TrustManagerFactory>();

            try {
                // The default Trustmanager with default keystore
                final TrustManagerFactory original = TrustManagerFactory.getInstance(TrustManagerFactory.getDefaultAlgorithm());
                original.init((KeyStore) null);
                factories.add(original);

                for (KeyStore keyStore : additionalkeyStores) {
                    final TrustManagerFactory additionalCerts = TrustManagerFactory.getInstance(TrustManagerFactory.getDefaultAlgorithm());
                    additionalCerts.init(keyStore);
                    factories.add(additionalCerts);
                }

            } catch (Exception e) {
                throw new RuntimeException(e);
            }



            /*
             * Iterate over the returned trustmanagers, and hold on
             * to any that are X509TrustManagers
             */
            for (TrustManagerFactory tmf : factories)
                for (TrustManager tm : tmf.getTrustManagers())
                    if (tm instanceof X509TrustManager)
                        x509TrustManagers.add((X509TrustManager) tm);


            if (x509TrustManagers.size() == 0)
                throw new RuntimeException("Couldn't find any X509TrustManagers");

        }

        /*
         * Delegate to the default trust manager.
         */
        public void checkClientTrusted(X509Certificate[] chain, String authType) throws CertificateException {
            final X509TrustManager defaultX509TrustManager = x509TrustManagers.get(0);
            defaultX509TrustManager.checkClientTrusted(chain, authType);
        }

        /*
         * Loop over the trustmanagers until we find one that accepts our server
         */
        public void checkServerTrusted(X509Certificate[] chain, String authType) throws CertificateException {
            for (X509TrustManager tm : x509TrustManagers) {
                try {
                    tm.checkServerTrusted(chain, authType);
                    return;
                } catch (CertificateException e) {
                    // ignore
                }
            }
            throw new CertificateException();
        }

        public X509Certificate[] getAcceptedIssuers() {
            final ArrayList<X509Certificate> list = new ArrayList<X509Certificate>();
            for (X509TrustManager tm : x509TrustManagers)
                list.addAll(Arrays.asList(tm.getAcceptedIssuers()));
            return list.toArray(new X509Certificate[list.size()]);
        }
    }
}

Below code is to create my AdditionalKeyStoresSSLSocketFactory

private Certificate getCertificate(String cerFilePath) throws Exception {
        CertificateFactory cf = CertificateFactory.getInstance("X.509");

        InputStream caInput = new FileInputStream(cerFilePath);
        Certificate ca;
        try {
            ca = cf.generateCertificate(caInput);
            System.out.println("ca=" + ((X509Certificate) ca).getSubjectDN());
        } finally {
            caInput.close();
        }

        return ca;
    }

    private SSLSocketFactory getSSLConfig() throws Exception {
        FileHelper fileHelper = FileHelper.getInstance();
        String downloadPath = fileHelper.getDeviceDownloadPath() + File.separator;
        String[] cerFilePath = new String[]{downloadPath + "ServerCertificate.cer", downloadPath + "ServerCertificate2.cer", downloadPath + "ServerCertificate3.cer", downloadPath + "ServerCertificate4.cer"};

        String keyStoreType = KeyStore.getDefaultType();
        KeyStore keyStore = KeyStore.getInstance(keyStoreType);
        keyStore.load(null, null);

        for (int i = 0; i < cerFilePath.length; i++) {
            Certificate ca = getCertificate(cerFilePath[i]);
            keyStore.setCertificateEntry("ca" + i, ca);
        }

        // Create a TrustManager that trusts the CAs in our KeyStore
        String tmfAlgorithm = TrustManagerFactory.getDefaultAlgorithm();
        TrustManagerFactory tmf = TrustManagerFactory.getInstance(tmfAlgorithm);
        tmf.init(keyStore);

        mTrustManager = (X509TrustManager) tmf.getTrustManagers()[0];
        AdditionalKeyStoresSSLSocketFactory factory = new AdditionalKeyStoresSSLSocketFactory(keyStore);

        return factory;
    }

and adding my custom SSLSocketFactory using below code:

SSLSocketFactory factory = getSSLConfig();
OkHttpClient okHttpClient = new OkHttpClient.Builder()
                    .sslSocketFactory(factory, (X509TrustManager) ((AdditionalKeyStoresSSLSocketFactory) factory).TrustManager[0])
                    .build();
Retrofit retrofit = new Retrofit.Builder()
                    .baseUrl(serverBaseUrl)
                    .client(okHttpClient)
                    .addConverterFactory(GsonConverterFactory.create())
                    .build();

Disclaimer: I copy my certificates to the download directory, I do not think this is a good idea because it has a lot of security risks, my code is just for demonstration