Fix (APAR):  PK48169

Status:  Fix

Release:  6.1.0.9, 6.0.2.21

Operating System:  AIX,HP-UX,i5/OS,Linux,Linux pSeries,Linux Red Hat - pSeries,Linux zSeries,OS/390,OS/400,Solaris,Windows,z/OS

Supersedes Fixes:

CMVC Defect:  PK48169

Byte size of APAR:  10024

Date: 2007-07-12

Abstract:  A NullPointerException is thrown from CookieUtils when it attempts to convert a Cookie object with a null value into a marshalled string for writing on the network.

Description/symptom of problem:
PK48169 resolves the following problem:

ERROR DESCRIPTION:
Adding the protection against a null cookie value to the
converter code

LOCAL FIX:
N/A

PROBLEM SUMMARY

USERS AFFECTED:
Users of the IBM WebSphere Application
Server version 6.0.2 and 6.1 HTTP Channel
who create a javax.servlet.http.Cookie
object with a null value string.

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
A NullPointerException is thrown from
CookieUtils when it attempts to convert
a Cookie object with a null value into
a marshalled string for writing on the
network.

RECOMMENDATION:
None

Technically, the HTTP RFCs define a cookie as a name=value pair
with additional properties. However, the Cookie object in the
JDK allows a null string to be used for the value. The
conversion code was not expecting null and throws the
NullPpointerException when handling that value.

PROBLEM CONCLUSION:
Protective code has been added to the converter class to handle
the null string as well as a zero length string. It will result
in an output string of cookiename="" when sent with the HTTP
headers on the network.

This is targeted for fixpacks 6.0.2.23 and 6.1.0.13.
Please refer to the recommended updates page for delivery
information:
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg27004980


Directions to apply fix:  Fix applies to Editions:
Release 6.0
_X_ Application Server (Express or BASE)
_X_ Network Deployment (ND)
_X_ Developer
_X_ Extended Deployment (XD)

Install Fix to:
Method:
__ Application Server Nodes
__ Deployment Manager Nodes
_X_ Both

NOTE:
The user must:
* Have Administrative rights in Windows, or be the Actual Root User in a UNIX environments.
* Logged in with the same authority level when unpacking a fix, fix pack or refresh pack.
* Be at V6.0.2.2 or newer of the Update Installer. This can be checked by reviewing the level of the Update Installer in file <was_root>/updateinstaller/version.txt.

The Update Installer can be downloaded from the following link:
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg21205991

For detailed instructions to Extract the Update Installer see the following Technote:
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg21205400

1) Copy 6.1.0.9-WS-WAS-IFPK48169.pak or 6.0.2.21-WS-WAS-IFPK48169.pak file directly to the maintenance directory

2) Shutdown WebSphere
Manually execute setupCmdLine.bat in Windows or . ./setupCmdLine.sh in Unix from the WebSphere instance that maintenance is being applied to.

3) Launch Update Installer

4) Enter the installation location of the WebSphere product you want to update.

5) Select the "Install maintenance package" operation.

6) Enter the file name of the maintenance package to install (6.1.0.9-WS-WAS-IFPK48169.pak or 6.0.2.21-WS-WAS-IFPK48169.pak file which was copied in the maintenance directory).

7) Install the maintenance package.

8) Restart WebSphere

Directions to remove fix:
NOTE:
* The user must have Administrative rights in Windows, or be the Actual Root User in a UNIX environments.
* FIXES MUST BE REMOVED IN THE ORDER THEY WERE APPLIED
* DO NOT REMOVE A FIX UNLESS ALL FIXES APPLIED AFTER IT HAVE FIRST BEEN REMOVED
* YOU MAY REAPPLY ANY REMOVED FIX

Example: If your system has fix1, fix2, and fix3 applied in that order and fix2 is to be removed, fix3 must be removed first, fix2 removed, and fix3 re-applied.

1) Shutdown WebSphere
Manually execute setupCmdLine.bat in Windows or . ./setupCmdLine.sh in Unix from the WebSphere instance that uninstall is being run against.

2) Start Update Installer

3) Enter the installation location of the WebSphere product you want to remove the fix.

4) Select  "Uninstall maintenance package" operation.

5) Enter the file name of the maintenance package to uninstall (6.1.0.9-WS-WAS-IFPK48169.pak or 6.0.2.21-WS-WAS-IFPK48169.pak).

6) UnInstall maintenance package.

7) Restart WebSphere

Directions to re-apply fix:
1) Shutdown WebSphere.

2) Follow the Fix instructions to apply the fix.

3) Restart WebSphere.



Additional Information: