How To Fix WSPT012 - Certificate: Error "&" parsing the certificate.

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: WSPT - Message Class for Portugal Webservice

• Message number: 012

• Message text: Certificate: Error "&" parsing the certificate.

Self-Explanatory Message

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• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message WSPT012 - Certificate: Error "&" parsing the certificate. ?

  SAP Error Message:
  
  WSPT012 Certificate: Error "&" parsing the certificate.
  
  Cause:
  This error typically occurs when SAP Web Service or SSL certificate processing encounters an invalid character or malformed content in the certificate file. Specifically, the presence of an unexpected character like & in the certificate data (usually in the PEM or DER encoded certificate) causes the XML parser or certificate parser to fail.
  Common causes include:
  
  The certificate file contains invalid or corrupted data.
  The certificate file is not properly encoded (e.g., PEM file with extra characters or wrong line breaks).
  The certificate content is embedded in XML or configuration files without proper escaping of special characters like &.
  The certificate was copied or pasted incorrectly, introducing invalid characters.
  The certificate file is being read as XML, and the & character is not escaped as &.
  
  
  Solution:
  
  
  Check the Certificate File:
  
  Open the certificate file in a text editor.
  Verify that the certificate is in the correct format (PEM format should start with -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- and end with -----END CERTIFICATE-----).
  Ensure there are no extra characters, spaces, or invalid symbols like & inside the certificate body.
  
  
  
  Correct XML Escaping:
  
  If the certificate is embedded inside an XML configuration or SAP Web Service configuration, ensure that special characters like & are properly escaped as &.
  For example, if the certificate content is part of an XML node, replace all & with &.
  
  
  
  Re-import the Certificate:
  
  If the certificate was imported into SAP (e.g., via STRUST or SOAMANAGER), try re-importing the certificate.
  Use the original certificate file from the Certificate Authority (CA) without modifications.
  
  
  
  Validate the Certificate:
  
  Use OpenSSL or similar tools to validate the certificate:
  openssl x509 -in certificate.pem -text -noout
  
  This will help confirm if the certificate is valid and correctly formatted.
  
  
  
  Check SAP Notes and Patches:
  
  Sometimes, specific SAP kernel or component versions have bugs related to certificate parsing.
  Check SAP Notes for your SAP version for any known issues or patches related to WSPT012.
  
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  Transaction STRUST: Used to manage SSL certificates in SAP.
  SOAMANAGER: Used to configure Web Services and manage certificates.
  Certificate Formats: PEM (Base64 encoded), DER (binary), PFX/P12 (PKCS#12 format).
  XML Special Characters: &, <, >, ", ' must be escaped in XML.
  SAP Notes: Search for WSPT012 or certificate parsing errors in the SAP Support Portal.
  
  
  Summary:
  The error WSPT012 Certificate: Error "&" parsing the certificate. is caused by invalid or improperly escaped characters (especially &) in the certificate data or XML configuration. The solution involves verifying and correcting the certificate format, ensuring proper XML escaping, and re-importing the certificate correctly.
  
  If you provide the context of where/how the certificate is used or imported, I can give more specific guidance.