javax.net.ssl.SSLException "The value specified for the argument

[Midrange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

We've got a java application that has been supplied to us by a partner that
establishes an SSL link between us and them.  We only received the app last
week and it failed to establish the connection due to the recent expiring of
the Verisign certificates that come with Java.

I found the PTFs at IBM that should correct the problem, but I held off
installing them because this last weekend we were scheduled to upgrade V5R1
=> V5R2.  The upgrade went smoothly.  I located the same PTFs for V5R2 that
should take care of the certificates problem, and installed them.  As best I
can tell, the cacerts file has been properly updated.

Now the connection attempt fails with a different error,
javax.net.ssl.SSLException "The value specified for the argument is not
correct."

A search for this on the net has proved nearly fruitless, with one exception
in the java.sun.com forums (
http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=2&thread=483905 ) which,
interestingly, also applies to a recently upgraded V5R2 iSeries.

There's no resolution (yet) there and I followed the test code with the same
error result.  I don't see anything applicable on the IBM support areas.
Has anyone else encountered this?  I'm inclined to believe this is a problem
with the java implementation on the iSeries, but...

Posted below is the test code and the run info.  This occurs using both
JDK1.3 and JDK1.4.  It runs fine on a non-iSeries.  if anybody's got any
suggestions/ideas, I'd love to hear 'em.

Code
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import java.io.*;
import javax.net.ssl.*;
public class ssltest {

        public static void main(String[] argv) throws Exception {

                String host = argv[0];

                System.err.println("Attempting to contact host..." + host);

                SSLSocketFactory sslFact =
                        (SSLSocketFactory) SSLSocketFactory.getDefault();
                SSLSocket s = (SSLSocket) sslFact.createSocket(host, 443);
                OutputStream out = s.getOutputStream();
                //Fails on the line above - (when trying to connect.)

                byte[] outdata = "GET / HTTP/1.1".getBytes();
                out.write(outdata);
                out.close();
        }
}
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Run
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 java -Djavax.net.debug=all ssltest www.verisign.com

 Attempting to contact host...www.verisign.com

 javax.net.ssl.SSLException: The value specified for the argument is not
correct.                                                 
       java/lang/Throwable.<init>(Ljava/lang/String;)V+4 (Throwable.java:85)

       java/lang/Exception.<init>(Ljava/lang/String;)V+1 (Exception.java:33)

       java/io/IOException.<init>(Ljava/lang/String;)V+1
(IOException.java:38)                                                    
       javax/net/ssl/SSLException.<init>(Ljava/lang/String;)V+1
(SSLException.java:43)                                            
 
com/ibm/as400/ibmonly/net/ssl/AuthContext.getDefault()Lcom/ibm/as400/ibmonly
/net/ssl/AuthContext;+18 (AuthContext.java:159)
 

       com/ibm/as400/ibmonly/net/ssl/SSLSocketFactoryImpl.<init>()V+4
(SSLSocketFactoryImpl.java:70)                              
       java/lang/Class.newInstance()Ljava/lang/Object;+14 (Class.java:238)

 
javax/net/ssl/SSLSocketFactory.getDefault()Ljavax/net/SocketFactory;+86
(SSLSocketFactory.java:88)                         
       ssltest.main([Ljava/lang/String;)V+0 (ssltest.java:7)

 $                                                                     
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Eugene Glover
Arizona Insurance Department