NodeJS UNABLE_TO_VERIFY_LEAF_SIGNATURE

Question

We're trying to use Node.js (and Mocha) as a testing framework to test API calls against an internal server over https. We're using the following node modules: Mocha, Restify, and Should to perform these tests.

When we run mocha testFileName.js, the major error we get back is:

[2013-06-19 14:16:28.105] [ERROR] console - FAIL:  Received error!  [Error:        UNABLE_TO_VERIFY_LEAF_SIGNATURE] Error: UNABLE_TO_VERIFY_LEAF_SIGNATURE at SecurePair.<anonymous> (tls.js:1283:32) at SecurePair.EventEmitter.emit (events.js:92:17) at SecurePair.maybeInitFinished (tls.js:896:10) at CleartextStream.read [as _read] (tls.js:430:15) at CleartextStream.Readable.read (_stream_readable.js:320:10) at EncryptedStream.write [as _write] (tls.js:344:25) at doWrite (_stream_writable.js:219:10) at writeOrBuffer (_stream_writable.js:209:5) at EncryptedStream.Writable.write (_stream_writable.js:180:11) at write (_stream_readable.js:573:24) at flow (_stream_readable.js:582:7) at Socket.pipeOnReadable (_stream_readable.js:614:5) at Socket.EventEmitter.emit (events.js:92:17) at emitReadable_ (_stream_readable.js:408:10) at emitReadable (_stream_readable.js:404:5) at readableAddChunk (_stream_readable.js:165:9) at Socket.Readable.push (_stream_readable.js:127:10) at TCP.onread (net.js:511:21) 

After searching google and stackexchange it would seem that we have a certificate problem. From there we installed internal CA 'public' cert, as well as the instance specific certifications that our app is using (there are multiple redirects to get through), to

  /usr/local/etc/openssl/certs, legacy: /System/Library/Keychains/X509Anchors, /Library/Keychains/System.keychain, as well as in Keychain through the gui to our login and System keychains. However, we're still not getting anywhere.  

Before installing the certs in these places, we couldn't 'curl' our site without certificate errors on command-line; however, with them installed now we get no errors, but node still explodes.

We've tried multiple versions of Node, OpenSSL, as well as varying installation methods including downloading the package vs. using homebrew.

Computer Information:

• Mac OS X 10.8.4 (Also tried with 10.8.3)
• Node v0.8.18 (Also tried with: Node v0.10.11, v0.10.12)
• OpenSSL v1.0.1e (Also tried with 0.9.8)

Brainstorming Questions:

Does Node.js use its own (bundled) version of OpenSSL instead of what's installed on the local machine? If that's the case, where is it looking for certificates? Could the TLS.js be telling Node to look elsewhere for certs? Is there a pragmatic approach to overwriting the the certificates used; it appears there might be options we can use like this:

var options = {     ca: fs.readFileSync("[path to our CA cert file]"),     requestCert: true,     rejectUnauthorized: true };  var req = https.request(options, function(res) {     ... }); 

But this generates our same error.

Answer 1

UNABLE_TO_VERIFY_LEAF_SIGNATURE

The problem is that you are attempting to install a module from a repository with a bad or untrusted SSL[Secure Sockets Layer] certificate. That is not uncommon if you work at a company that self signs its certificates for internal repositories.

To work around this issue, you can run the following command:

npm config set strict-ssl false 

As a best practice, it is wise to set it back to true afterwords so you do not accidentally install an untrusted module that you actually do not trust.

Answer 2

To answer the first question about using a bundled version of OpenSSL:

node generates static objects during compile based on the needs of the crypto api.

For example the crypto API requires the following OpenSSL function calls:

$ nm /usr/local/bin/node |  grep "openssl\|x509\|pkey\|tls" 0000000000953d40 T CMS_RecipientInfo_set0_pkey 000000000095c580 T DSO_METHOD_openssl 00000000008dc790 T ENGINE_get_pkey_asn1_meth 00000000008dc7e0 T ENGINE_get_pkey_asn1_meth_engine 00000000008dc590 T ENGINE_get_pkey_asn1_meth_str 00000000008dc4e0 T ENGINE_get_pkey_asn1_meths 00000000008dcea0 T ENGINE_get_pkey_meth 00000000008dcef0 T ENGINE_get_pkey_meth_engine 00000000008dcdf0 T ENGINE_get_pkey_meths 00000000008dc500 T ENGINE_pkey_asn1_find_str 00000000008dc8d0 T ENGINE_register_all_pkey_asn1_meths 00000000008dcfe0 T ENGINE_register_all_pkey_meths 00000000008dc860 T ENGINE_register_pkey_asn1_meths 00000000008dcf70 T ENGINE_register_pkey_meths 00000000008dc800 T ENGINE_set_default_pkey_asn1_meths 00000000008dcf10 T ENGINE_set_default_pkey_meths 00000000008dc4f0 T ENGINE_set_pkey_asn1_meths 00000000008dce00 T ENGINE_set_pkey_meths 00000000008dc910 T ENGINE_unregister_pkey_asn1_meths 00000000008dd020 T ENGINE_unregister_pkey_meths 00000000008e7a40 T EVP_MD_pkey_type 00000000008eaae0 T EVP_PKEY_CTX_get0_pkey 00000000008fbad0 T PKCS12_certbag2x509 00000000008fba70 T PKCS12_certbag2x509crl 00000000008fbb50 T PKCS12_x5092certbag 00000000008fbb30 T PKCS12_x509crl2certbag 00000000008ba910 T PKCS8_pkey_get0 00000000008ba9d0 T PKCS8_pkey_set0 000000000093d860 T SSL_CTX_set_tlsext_use_srtp 000000000093d840 T SSL_set_tlsext_use_srtp 00000000007bd110 T _ZN2v88internal9Assembler9cvtlsi2sdENS0_11XMMRegisterENS0_8RegisterE 00000000007bd1b0 T _ZN2v88internal9Assembler9cvtlsi2sdENS0_11XMMRegisterERKNS0_7OperandE 00000000007bd070 T _ZN2v88internal9Assembler9cvtlsi2ssENS0_11XMMRegisterENS0_8RegisterE 000000000087d220 t _ZN4node6cryptoL14VerifyCallbackEiP17x509_store_ctx_st 0000000000a821a0 r _ZN4nodeL10tls_nativeE 0000000000eac550 B app_pkey_methods 0000000000b16320 R cmac_pkey_meth 0000000000b183a0 R dh_pkey_meth 000000000093b210 T do_dtls1_write 0000000000962a60 t do_pk8pkey 0000000000962cb0 t do_pk8pkey_fp 00000000008cb340 t dsa_pkey_ctrl 0000000000b18660 R dsa_pkey_meth 0000000000938f40 t dtls1_add_cert_to_buf 0000000000938730 T dtls1_buffer_message 000000000093b9f0 t dtls1_buffer_record 000000000093a7d0 T dtls1_check_timeout_num 000000000093ad90 T dtls1_clear 000000000093ac20 t dtls1_clear_queues 00000000009385f0 T dtls1_clear_record_buffer 000000000093b8b0 t dtls1_copy_record 000000000093abc0 T dtls1_ctrl 000000000093a760 T dtls1_default_timeout 000000000093b610 T dtls1_dispatch_alert 0000000000939b00 T dtls1_do_write 000000000093aae0 T dtls1_double_timeout 000000000096d500 T dtls1_enc 000000000093aee0 T dtls1_free 00000000009384f0 T dtls1_get_ccs_header 000000000093aba0 T dtls1_get_cipher 00000000009398b0 T dtls1_get_message 0000000000939260 t dtls1_get_message_fragment 0000000000938510 T dtls1_get_message_header 0000000000938440 T dtls1_get_queue_priority 000000000093c050 T dtls1_get_record 000000000093a910 T dtls1_get_timeout 000000000093ab20 T dtls1_handle_timeout 00000000009385b0 t dtls1_hm_fragment_free 0000000000938640 t dtls1_hm_fragment_new 000000000093aa10 T dtls1_is_timer_expired 000000000093a770 T dtls1_listen 00000000009384d0 T dtls1_min_mtu 000000000093af70 T dtls1_new 0000000000939010 T dtls1_output_cert_chain 0000000000938e10 t dtls1_preprocess_fragment 000000000093bbf0 t dtls1_process_record 000000000093c480 T dtls1_read_bytes 0000000000938d70 T dtls1_read_failed 0000000000938950 t dtls1_reassemble_fragment 000000000093b160 T dtls1_reset_seq_numbers 000000000093a390 T dtls1_retransmit_buffered_messages 000000000093a0f0 T dtls1_retransmit_message 000000000093b990 t dtls1_retrieve_buffered_record 000000000093a450 T dtls1_send_change_cipher_spec 000000000093a560 T dtls1_send_finished 0000000000938450 T dtls1_set_message_header 00000000009384e0 T dtls1_shutdown 000000000093aa50 T dtls1_start_timer 000000000093a880 T dtls1_stop_timer 0000000000b0bca0 R dtls1_version_str 000000000093b7d0 T dtls1_write_app_data_bytes 000000000093b760 T dtls1_write_bytes 00000000008cd650 t ec_pkey_ctrl 0000000000b19e20 R ec_pkey_meth 00000000008dc700 T engine_pkey_asn1_meths_free 00000000008dce10 T engine_pkey_meths_free 00000000008dc8c0 t engine_unregister_all_pkey_asn1_meths 00000000008dcfd0 t engine_unregister_all_pkey_meths 0000000000962220 T evp_pkey_set_cb_translate 00000000008a9200 t get_optional_pkey_id 00000000008ec1f0 t hmac_pkey_ctrl 0000000000aed360 R hmac_pkey_meth 0000000000e99f40 d openssl_dsa_meth 0000000000e99fa0 d openssl_ecdh_meth 0000000000e99fc0 d openssl_ecdsa_meth 0000000000eaa960 b pkey_asn1_meth_table 00000000008ba990 t pkey_cb 0000000000953b90 t pkey_cmac_cleanup 0000000000953b40 t pkey_cmac_copy 00000000009538f0 t pkey_cmac_ctrl 0000000000953990 t pkey_cmac_ctrl_str 0000000000953b10 t pkey_cmac_init 0000000000953ba0 t pkey_cmac_keygen 000000000095b2f0 t pkey_dh_cleanup 000000000095b370 t pkey_dh_copy 000000000095b020 t pkey_dh_ctrl 000000000095b080 t pkey_dh_ctrl_str 000000000095b120 t pkey_dh_derive 000000000095b310 t pkey_dh_init 000000000095b1a0 t pkey_dh_keygen 000000000095b240 t pkey_dh_paramgen 000000000095b940 t pkey_dsa_cleanup 000000000095b9d0 t pkey_dsa_copy 000000000095b4c0 t pkey_dsa_ctrl 000000000095b400 t pkey_dsa_ctrl_str 000000000095b960 t pkey_dsa_init 000000000095b7d0 t pkey_dsa_keygen 000000000095b870 t pkey_dsa_paramgen 000000000095b740 t pkey_dsa_sign 000000000095b6c0 t pkey_dsa_verify 000000000095ea00 t pkey_ec_cleanup 000000000095ea90 t pkey_ec_copy 000000000095e510 t pkey_ec_ctrl 000000000095e460 t pkey_ec_ctrl_str 000000000095e660 t pkey_ec_derive 000000000095ea40 t pkey_ec_init 000000000095e8b0 t pkey_ec_keygen 000000000095e950 t pkey_ec_paramgen 000000000095e7c0 t pkey_ec_sign 000000000095e740 t pkey_ec_verify 00000000008f84d0 t pkey_get_dsa 00000000008f8400 t pkey_get_eckey 00000000008f85a0 t pkey_get_rsa 00000000008ec610 t pkey_hmac_cleanup 00000000008ec700 t pkey_hmac_copy 00000000008ec340 t pkey_hmac_ctrl 00000000008ec3d0 t pkey_hmac_ctrl_str 00000000008ec670 t pkey_hmac_init 00000000008ec5b0 t pkey_hmac_keygen 0000000000eaa988 b pkey_meth_table 0000000000904ed0 t pkey_rsa_cleanup 0000000000904f20 t pkey_rsa_copy 0000000000904330 t pkey_rsa_ctrl 0000000000904010 t pkey_rsa_ctrl_str 00000000009046f0 t pkey_rsa_decrypt 0000000000904740 t pkey_rsa_encrypt 00000000009049e0 t pkey_rsa_init 0000000000904e00 t pkey_rsa_keygen 0000000000904be0 t pkey_rsa_sign 0000000000904a60 t pkey_rsa_verify 00000000009047e0 t pkey_rsa_verifyrecover 00000000008e9690 t pkey_set_type 0000000000902a70 t rsa_pkey_ctrl 0000000000b04800 R rsa_pkey_meth 00000000008b4220 T ssl_add_clienthello_tlsext 00000000008b3cc0 T ssl_add_serverhello_tlsext 00000000008b29b0 T ssl_check_clienthello_tlsext_early 00000000008b2a70 T ssl_check_clienthello_tlsext_late 00000000008b2770 T ssl_check_serverhello_tlsext 00000000008ac800 T ssl_get_server_send_pkey 00000000008ab300 T ssl_get_sign_pkey 0000000000e99a40 d ssl_mac_pkey_id 00000000008b3260 T ssl_parse_clienthello_tlsext 00000000008b2cc0 T ssl_parse_serverhello_tlsext 00000000008b2b50 T ssl_prepare_clienthello_tlsext 00000000008b2690 T ssl_prepare_serverhello_tlsext 00000000008aee80 t ssl_set_pkey 0000000000e99a30 d ssl_x509_store_ctx_idx.16612 00000000008b1f30 T tls12_get_hash 00000000008b21d0 T tls12_get_req_sig_algs 00000000008b2130 T tls12_get_sigandhash 00000000008b1ef0 T tls12_get_sigid 0000000000e99c00 d tls12_md 0000000000e99bd0 d tls12_sig 0000000000e99c40 d tls12_sigalgs 000000000093e230 t tls1_PRF.clone.0 000000000093d8c0 T tls1_alert_code 00000000008a4c40 T tls1_cbc_remove_padding 000000000093dc20 T tls1_cert_verify_mac 000000000093e7b0 T tls1_change_cipher_state 00000000008b4b80 T tls1_clear 00000000008b1d10 T tls1_default_timeout 00000000008b1d20 T tls1_ec_curve_id2nid 00000000008b1d40 T tls1_ec_nid2curve_id 000000000093dd30 T tls1_enc 000000000093f610 T tls1_export_keying_material 000000000093f330 T tls1_final_finish_mac 00000000008b4ba0 T tls1_free 000000000093f560 T tls1_generate_master_secret 00000000008b1ca0 t tls1_get_client_method 00000000008b4c00 t tls1_get_method 00000000008b50a0 t tls1_get_server_method 000000000093d8e0 T tls1_mac 00000000008a3df0 t tls1_md5_final_raw 00000000008b4bd0 T tls1_new 00000000008b1fb0 T tls1_process_sigalgs 00000000008b24e0 T tls1_process_ticket 000000000093f040 T tls1_setup_key_block 00000000008a3e70 t tls1_sha1_final_raw 00000000008a3f10 t tls1_sha256_final_raw 00000000008a3f50 t tls1_sha512_final_raw 0000000000adeae0 R tls1_version_str 00000000008b2210 t tls_decrypt_ticket 0000000000e9e0c0 d ui_openssl 0000000000b09e00 R v3_pkey_usage_period 00000000008c13d0 t x509_cb 0000000000ea5600 D x509_dir_lookup 0000000000ea5660 D x509_file_lookup 00000000008c0c40 t x509_name_canon 00000000008c11f0 t x509_name_ex_d2i 00000000008c0a10 t x509_name_ex_free 00000000008c1030 t x509_name_ex_i2d 00000000008c0a70 t x509_name_ex_new 00000000008c0950 t x509_name_ex_print 0000000000ae10a0 R x509_name_ff 0000000000914fd0 t x509_object_cmp 0000000000915110 t x509_object_idx_cnt 0000000000921bc0 t x509v3_cache_extensions 

So when node is compiled it creates a static object which includes only those functions which it needs. This is a design decision from the core node.js team which allows for minimal bloat.

If you wish to change the behavior of node's linking to OpenSSL from static to shared you can compile node.js from source like so:

$ curl -k http://nodejs.org/dist/v0.10.26/node-v0.10.26.tar.gz | zcat | tar -xf -; cd node-v0.10.26; ./configure --shared-openssl 

To answer the second question:

The TLS module uses the certificates specified by you. You can test the functionality of your server and its corresponding certificates using OpenSSL like so:

openssl s_client -connect server:port 

That will provide you with details regarding your certificate chain that is not easily available with tools such as curl etc.

The simple fix should be to set this option to false as your testing client is not configured to send any client certificates.

var options = {     /* ... */     rejectUnauthorized: false     /* ... */ } 

In regards to the 'actual problem' it stems from a combination of the client certificate store, its trusted CA sources (browser SSL certificate manager) and the server certificate and its CA not being trusted by the client.

Hope that clear it up.