Cannot send push notifications using Javapns/Javaapns SSL handshake failure

Question

I have an issue with push notifications. I have a p.12 certificate that was created by a team member and I have the device token for the device to be pushed to. I am using the javapns library to do the push (also tried the javaapns lib with same results) but I keep getting this error:

javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: Received fatal alert: handshake_failure
at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.Alerts.getSSLException(Alerts.java:174)
at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.Alerts.getSSLException(Alerts.java:136)
at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.recvAlert(SSLSocketImpl.java:1720)
at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.readRecord(SSLSocketImpl.java:954)
at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.performInitialHandshake(SSLSocketImpl.java:1138)
at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.writeRecord(SSLSocketImpl.java:632)
at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.AppOutputStream.write(AppOutputStream.java:59)
at java.io.OutputStream.write(OutputStream.java:58)
at javapns.notification.PushNotificationManager.sendNotification(PushNotificationManager.java:402)
at javapns.notification.PushNotificationManager.sendNotification(PushNotificationManager.java:350)
at javapns.notification.PushNotificationManager.sendNotification(PushNotificationManager.java:320)
at javapns.Push.sendPayload(Push.java:177)
at javapns.Push.combined(Push.java:100)
at PushTest.push(PushTest.java:43)
at PushTest.main(PushTest.java:25)

and this is the code I am using to test

try {
    List<PushedNotification> n = Push.combined(text, 20, null, file, "********", false, token);

    for (PushedNotification notification : n) {
        if (notification.isSuccessful())  
            System.out.println("Push notification sent successfully to: " + notification.getDevice().getToken());
        else {
            String invalidToken = notification.getDevice().getToken();

            Exception theProblem = notification.getException();
            theProblem.printStackTrace();

            ResponsePacket theErrorResponse = notification.getResponse();
            if (theErrorResponse != null)
                System.out.println(theErrorResponse.getMessage());
        }
    }
}
catch (CommunicationException e)  {
    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
    e.printStackTrace();
}
catch (KeystoreException e) {
    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
    e.printStackTrace();
}

I read and tried the suggestions from several of the other posts including importing the certificate into cacerts keystore but the import fails as well. I am developing using eclipse on a windows machine.

Anyone familiar with this issue? I am new to using ssl so perhaps I'm doing something wrong or is it that I cannot use a certificate generated on another machine?

Answer 1

I am a new iOS developer and I had the same issue before.

I finally found that the problem was due to the p12 certificate. We should not use the private key p12 file, instead we should generate a p12 from your private key and the cert download from Apple.

Please execute the following OpenSSL command to get the correct p12 file:

developer_identity.cer <= download from Apple
mykey.p12 <= Your private key

openssl x509 -in developer_identity.cer -inform DER -out developer_identity.pem -outform PEM
openssl pkcs12 -nocerts -in mykey.p12 -out mykey.pem
openssl pkcs12 -export -inkey mykey.pem -in developer_identity.pem -out iphone_dev.p12

After that, you should use iphone_dev.p12 to communicate with apple server.

Answer 2

Sunny's answer is a great one, but unfortunately it didn't work for me.

I got it working by exporting the certificate/private key pair from the keychain. The trick is that the selection sequence matters! The certificate has to be selected first, followed by the private key.

Here is how it works:

1. Import the certificate downloaded from Apple into the keychains
2. Expand so that the private key is visible
3. Select the certificate followed by the private key
4. Right click and choose [Export 2 items...]