Getting sun.security.provider.certpath. SunCertPathBuilderException when sending mail from Java via SSL?


Do you get sun.security.provider.certpath. SunCertPathBuilderException: unable to find valid certification path to requested target when you try to send a mail from java via smtp(TLS and SSL)? There are 2 possible problems:

  • One option could be from the antivirus/firewall which prevent the communication for a specific port(default 465 for SSL and 587 for TSL) or for the java.exe. In the case you have a recent JDK/JRE and you use a well-known service this is probably the problem. Just try to disable the antivirus and to send again the mail from java. If it doesn’t work check the next point
  • You have an invalid/expired certificate for the email server so the SSL/TLS authentication doesn’t work properly. In order to overcome this you have to install the valid certificate.
  • Exception in thread “main” java.lang.RuntimeException: javax.mail.MessagingException: Could not convert socket to TLS;
    nested exception is:
    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
    at util.SendMail.mainTLS(SendMail.java:58)
    at util.SendMail.main(SendMail.java:22)
    Caused by: javax.mail.MessagingException: Could not convert socket to TLS;
    nested exception is:
    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
    at com.sun.mail.smtp.SMTPTransport.startTLS(SMTPTransport.java:1907)
    at com.sun.mail.smtp.SMTPTransport.protocolConnect(SMTPTransport.java:666)
    at javax.mail.Service.connect(Service.java:317)
    at javax.mail.Service.connect(Service.java:176)
    at javax.mail.Service.connect(Service.java:125)
    at javax.mail.Transport.send0(Transport.java:194)
    at javax.mail.Transport.send(Transport.java:124)
    at util.SendMail.mainTLS(SendMail.java:53)
    … 1 more
    Caused by: 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
    at sun.security.ssl.Alerts.getSSLException(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.fatal(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.Handshaker.fatalSE(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.Handshaker.fatalSE(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.ClientHandshaker.serverCertificate(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.ClientHandshaker.processMessage(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.Handshaker.processLoop(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.Handshaker.process_record(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.readRecord(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.performInitialHandshake(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.startHandshake(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.startHandshake(Unknown Source)
    at com.sun.mail.util.SocketFetcher.configureSSLSocket(SocketFetcher.java:549)
    at com.sun.mail.util.SocketFetcher.startTLS(SocketFetcher.java:486)
    at com.sun.mail.smtp.SMTPTransport.startTLS(SMTPTransport.java:1902)
    … 8 more
    Caused by: sun.security.validator.ValidatorException: PKIX path building failed: sun.security.provider.certpath.SunCertPathBuilderException: unable to find valid certification path to requested target
    at sun.security.validator.PKIXValidator.doBuild(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.validator.PKIXValidator.engineValidate(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.validator.Validator.validate(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.X509TrustManagerImpl.validate(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.X509TrustManagerImpl.checkTrusted(Unknown Source)
    at sun.security.ssl.X509TrustManagerImpl.checkServerTrusted(Unknown Source)
    … 19 more
    Caused by: sun.security.provider.certpath.SunCertPathBuilderException: unable to find valid certification path to requested target
    at sun.security.provider.certpath.SunCertPathBuilder.engineBuild(Unknown Source)
    at java.security.cert.CertPathBuilder.build(Unknown Source)
    … 25 more


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