Windows Server 2003, SSL Certificate, Bad Request (Invalid Hostname)

From: Billclinton (bill_at_hrva.us)
Date: 08/20/04

  • Next message: Roger Abell [MVP]: "Re: Viewing Trusted Domain Group Memberships" 
    Date: 20 Aug 2004 13:30:46 -0700

    I have a Windows 2003 Server running with about 300 + individual IIS
    sites on it.

    I have about 5 - 7 SSL certificates from varying Certificate
    Authorities.

    I am able to setup the ssl cert and associate it with an individual
    IIS Site, (no problems) I verify that the certificate works and is
    setup 100 % correctly and am satisfied that the site is setup as
    desired.

    After about 1 - 2 days I will receive the error:
    Bad Request (Invalid Hostname)
    or 400 error whatever you like to call it.

    The fix for this (however it is only temporary):
    I open IIS load the erroring site, go into the properties, and make a
    change (any change) so the 'Apply' button shows. I select the apply
    button (keep in mind no anctual change was made), refresh the page
    with the invalid hostename error, and just like clockwork, fixing the
    error.

    The catch:
    This error always happens again and again, over and over, every one to
    two days.

    The odd thing that I see is that if I add a new certificate to any
    other site on that server, the site I added the certificate to most
    recently is the one with the problem. Inevitably, only one IIS site at
    one time is having this error, and it is only permanently corrected,
    when I setup a new certificate on a different IIS site,, then shifting
    the issue to the newly setup certificate.

    Any guesses as to what may be the cause of this problem?
    Please email if you post a reply.

  • Next message: Roger Abell [MVP]: "Re: Viewing Trusted Domain Group Memberships"