Avamar: IDPA: SSLCertificateChainFile:file '/etc/apache2/ssl.crt/ca.crt' does not exist or is empty

Summary: Unable to log in to web page as apache2 service is down.

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Symptoms

The apache2 startup fails with the error below
root@avamar:~/#: service apache2 start
Job for apache2.service failed because the control process exited with error code. See "systemctl status apache2.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
root@avamar:~/#:

root@avamar:~/#: systemctl status apache2.service
● apache2.service - The Apache Webserver
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/apache2.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
   Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2024-08-29 00:59:41 CDT; 7s ago
  Process: 23284 ExecStop=/usr/sbin/start_apache2 -DSYSTEMD -DFOREGROUND -k graceful-stop (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
  Process: 25781 ExecReload=/usr/sbin/start_apache2 -DSYSTEMD -DFOREGROUND -k graceful (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
  Process: 23371 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/start_apache2 -DSYSTEMD -DFOREGROUND -k start (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
 Main PID: 23371 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
   Status: "Reading configuration..."

Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: Starting The Apache Webserver...
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar start_apache2[23371]: AH00526: Syntax error on line 5 of /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/sslcert.cnf:
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar start_apache2[23371]: SSLCertificateChainFile: file '/etc/apache2/ssl.crt/ca.crt' does not exist or is empty
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache Webserver.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Unit entered failed state.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
root@avamar:~/#:

root@avamar:~/#: journalctl -xe
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sshd[15591]: pam_unix(sshd:session): session opened for user admin by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sshd[15598]: Received disconnect from 10.241.170.118 port 41286:11: disconnected by user
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sshd[15598]: Disconnected from user admin 10.241.170.118 port 41286
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sshd[15591]: pam_unix(sshd:session): session closed for user admin
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sudo[15669]:    admin : TTY=unknown ; PWD=/usr/local/avamar ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/local/avamar/bin/createFSLink.pl --rptSiteLogDisplay
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sudo[15669]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:05:17 avamar sudo[15669]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:15:01 avamar cron[16832]: pam_unix(crond:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:15:01 avamar CRON[16832]: pam_unix(crond:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:30:01 avamar cron[18812]: pam_unix(crond:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:30:04 avamar CRON[18812]: pam_unix(crond:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:45:01 avamar cron[21412]: pam_unix(crond:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:45:01 avamar CRON[21412]: pam_unix(crond:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:50:00 avamar sudo[21977]:      avi : TTY=unknown ; PWD=/space/home/avi ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/local/avamar/lib/avi/avi_secure.sh -aviflush
Aug 29 00:50:00 avamar sudo[21977]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:50:01 avamar su[22058]: (to admin) root on none
Aug 29 00:50:01 avamar su[22058]: pam_unix(su-l:session): session opened for user admin by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:50:03 avamar su[22058]: pam_unix(su-l:session): session closed for user admin
Aug 29 00:50:07 avamar sudo[21977]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:58:18 avamar sshd[23037]: rexec line 152: Deprecated option UsePrivilegeSeparation
Aug 29 00:58:20 avamar sshd[23037]: Accepted keyboard-interactive/pam for admin from 10.87.192.145 port 49710 ssh2
Aug 29 00:58:20 avamar sshd[23037]: pam_unix(sshd:session): session opened for user admin by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:58:55 avamar su[23161]: (to root) admin on pts/0
Aug 29 00:58:55 avamar su[23161]: pam_unix(su-l:session): session opened for user root by admin(uid=500)
Aug 29 00:59:20 avamar systemd[1]: Stopping The Apache Webserver...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun shutting down
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun shutting down.
Aug 29 00:59:22 avamar systemd[1]: Stopped The Apache Webserver.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has finished shutting down
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
--
-- Unit apache2.service has finished shutting down.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: Starting The Apache Webserver...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun start-up
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun starting up.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar start_apache2[23371]: AH00526: Syntax error on line 5 of /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/sslcert.cnf:
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar start_apache2[23371]: SSLCertificateChainFile: file '/etc/apache2/ssl.crt/ca.crt' does not exist or is empty
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache Webserver.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
--
-- Unit apache2.service has failed.
--
-- The result is failed.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Unit entered failed state.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.

Cause

There is no ca.crt (if there is self-signed certificates)
Due to this, apache2 service fails to load the ca.crt.

Resolution

As a root user

1) Start apache2 service
service apache2 start

If the startup fails, then continue further.

2) Check the apache2 service status
systemctl status apache2.service
journalctl -xe
The error below is seen.
root@avamar:~/#: systemctl status apache2.service
● apache2.service - The Apache Webserver
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/apache2.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
   Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2024-08-29 00:59:41 CDT; 7s ago
  Process: 23284 ExecStop=/usr/sbin/start_apache2 -DSYSTEMD -DFOREGROUND -k graceful-stop (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
  Process: 25781 ExecReload=/usr/sbin/start_apache2 -DSYSTEMD -DFOREGROUND -k graceful (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
  Process: 23371 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/start_apache2 -DSYSTEMD -DFOREGROUND -k start (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
 Main PID: 23371 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
   Status: "Reading configuration..."

Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: Starting The Apache Webserver...
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar start_apache2[23371]: AH00526: Syntax error on line 5 of /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/sslcert.cnf:
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar start_apache2[23371]: SSLCertificateChainFile: file '/etc/apache2/ssl.crt/ca.crt' does not exist or is empty
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache Webserver.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Unit entered failed state.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
root@avamar:~/#:

root@avamar:~/#: journalctl -xe
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sshd[15591]: pam_unix(sshd:session): session opened for user admin by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sshd[15598]: Received disconnect from 10.241.170.118 port 41286:11: disconnected by user
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sshd[15598]: Disconnected from user admin 10.241.170.118 port 41286
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sshd[15591]: pam_unix(sshd:session): session closed for user admin
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sudo[15669]:    admin : TTY=unknown ; PWD=/usr/local/avamar ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/local/avamar/bin/createFSLink.pl --rptSiteLogDisplay
Aug 29 00:05:16 avamar sudo[15669]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:05:17 avamar sudo[15669]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:15:01 avamar cron[16832]: pam_unix(crond:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:15:01 avamar CRON[16832]: pam_unix(crond:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:30:01 avamar cron[18812]: pam_unix(crond:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:30:04 avamar CRON[18812]: pam_unix(crond:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:45:01 avamar cron[21412]: pam_unix(crond:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:45:01 avamar CRON[21412]: pam_unix(crond:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:50:00 avamar sudo[21977]:      avi : TTY=unknown ; PWD=/space/home/avi ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/local/avamar/lib/avi/avi_secure.sh -aviflush
Aug 29 00:50:00 avamar sudo[21977]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:50:01 avamar su[22058]: (to admin) root on none
Aug 29 00:50:01 avamar su[22058]: pam_unix(su-l:session): session opened for user admin by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:50:03 avamar su[22058]: pam_unix(su-l:session): session closed for user admin
Aug 29 00:50:07 avamar sudo[21977]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
Aug 29 00:58:18 avamar sshd[23037]: rexec line 152: Deprecated option UsePrivilegeSeparation
Aug 29 00:58:20 avamar sshd[23037]: Accepted keyboard-interactive/pam for admin from 10.87.192.145 port 49710 ssh2
Aug 29 00:58:20 avamar sshd[23037]: pam_unix(sshd:session): session opened for user admin by (uid=0)
Aug 29 00:58:55 avamar su[23161]: (to root) admin on pts/0
Aug 29 00:58:55 avamar su[23161]: pam_unix(su-l:session): session opened for user root by admin(uid=500)
Aug 29 00:59:20 avamar systemd[1]: Stopping The Apache Webserver...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun shutting down
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun shutting down.
Aug 29 00:59:22 avamar systemd[1]: Stopped The Apache Webserver.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has finished shutting down
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
--
-- Unit apache2.service has finished shutting down.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: Starting The Apache Webserver...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun start-up
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun starting up.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar start_apache2[23371]: AH00526: Syntax error on line 5 of /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/sslcert.cnf:
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar start_apache2[23371]: SSLCertificateChainFile: file '/etc/apache2/ssl.crt/ca.crt' does not exist or is empty
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache Webserver.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
--
-- Unit apache2.service has failed.
--
-- The result is failed.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Unit entered failed state.
Aug 29 00:59:41 avamar systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.

3) Navigate to sslcert.cnf
cd /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/sslcert.cnf

4) Comment out ca.crt
 
Before:
root@avamar:/etc/apache2/ssl.crt/#: cat /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/sslcert.cnf
SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/server.crt
#SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/server-dsa.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl.key/server.key
#SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl.key/server-dsa.key
SSLCertificateChainFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/ca.crt
#SSLCACertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/ca-bundle.crt
root@avamar2-gcc:/etc/apache2/ssl.crt/#:
After:
root@avamar:~/#: cat /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/sslcert.cnf
SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/server.crt
#SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/server-dsa.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl.key/server.key
#SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl.key/server-dsa.key
#SSLCertificateChainFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/ca.crt
#SSLCACertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/ca-bundle.crt
root@avamar4-gcc:~/#:

5) Start apache2 service
service apache2 start

Affected Products

Avamar, Integrated Data Protection Appliance Software
Article Properties
Article Number: 000228111
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 21 Nov 2024
Version:  2
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