Novell LDAP C# - Novell.Directory.Ldap - Has anybody made it work?

Question

I\'m trying to use the library released by Novell (Novell.Directory.Ldap). Version 2.1.10.

What I\'ve done so far:

• I tested the connection with an appl

Answer 1

I work on Forefront Identity Manager integration. So the code I write always comes from a few calling clients. This may not be appropriate if you are trying to package an application for use "anywhere".

I just wanted to update this thread with a simple solution for Novell servers which have the default TLS/SSL "confidentiality required" option enabled.

1) Make sure you get the SSL certificates off the Novell server you are binding too and enroll those into the trusted store on the executing client / server. There are normally two 1 for the IP and for the hostname dependent on which you will call (DNS preferable)

2) Import the following / add references using System.DirectoryServices; using System.DirectoryServices.Protocols;

3) Here is a snippet. Make sure you choose the AuthenticationTypes.SecureSocketsLayer which is key.

// serverAddress = Server IP or DNS (Match SSL certificate)
// ObjectDN = The DN of the user you are binding to
// userName = Account which will be used to make the bind
// password = password of the user which will make the bind
// value = The value you wish to add to the attribute

// Connect to the user in LDAP
DirectoryEntry entry = new DirectoryEntry("LDAP://" + serverAddress + "/" + ObjectDN + ""
                , userName
                , password
                , AuthenticationTypes.SecureSocketsLayer);
// Write the Updated attribute
entry.Properties["attribute"].Value = value;
// Read back the updated Attribute into a label
label.Text = entry.Properties["attribute"].Value.ToString();

Answer 2

91 is "cannot connect". Try to put the server in "ldap://x.x.x.x" format, check that userDN is set properly (with domain etc).

I am often using WireShark to see what is going on at the network level (it is aware of LDAP protocol).

Answer 3

I came looking for a solution to a similar problem. My bind command would fail as well while using the same code from Novell's website. The solution that worked for me was adding a dynamic Certificate Validation Call back. You can read about it here.

        // Creating an LdapConnection instance 
        LdapConnection ldapConn = new LdapConnection();

        ldapConn.SecureSocketLayer = true;

        ldapConn.UserDefinedServerCertValidationDelegate += new
                CertificateValidationCallback(MySSLHandler);


        //Connect function will create a socket connection to the server
        ldapConn.Connect(ldapHost, ldapPort);

        //Bind function will Bind the user object Credentials to the Server
        ldapConn.Bind(userDN, userPasswd);

        // Searches in the Marketing container and return all child entries just below this
        //container i.e. Single level search
        LdapSearchResults lsc = ldapConn.Search("ou=users,o=uga",
                           LdapConnection.SCOPE_SUB,
                           "objectClass=*",
                           null,
                           false);

        while (lsc.hasMore())
        {
            LdapEntry nextEntry = null;
            try
            {
                nextEntry = lsc.next();
            }
            catch (LdapException e)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Error: " + e.LdapErrorMessage);
                // Exception is thrown, go for next entry
                continue;
            }
            Console.WriteLine("\n" + nextEntry.DN);
            LdapAttributeSet attributeSet = nextEntry.getAttributeSet();
            System.Collections.IEnumerator ienum = attributeSet.GetEnumerator();
            while (ienum.MoveNext())
            {
                LdapAttribute attribute = (LdapAttribute)ienum.Current;
                string attributeName = attribute.Name;
                string attributeVal = attribute.StringValue;
                Console.WriteLine(attributeName + "value:" + attributeVal);
            }
        }
        ldapConn.Disconnect();
        Console.ReadKey();
    }

public static bool MySSLHandler(Syscert.X509Certificate certificate,
            int[] certificateErrors)
        {

            X509Store store = null;
            X509Stores stores = X509StoreManager.CurrentUser;
            //string input;
            store = stores.TrustedRoot;

            X509Certificate x509 = null;
            X509CertificateCollection coll = new X509CertificateCollection();
            byte[] data = certificate.GetRawCertData();
            if (data != null)
                x509 = new X509Certificate(data);

            return true;
        }

Answer 4

I had gone through this scenario, for me Novell LDAP service running in Kubernetes container. I tried adding CA certificate to the Mono trust store, which will add the file inside "/usr/share/.mono/certs/Trust" in linux container. But nothing did work, still Novell connect not successful for LDAP 636 port.

Finally I made it work in below way:

LdapConnection Connection = new LdapConnection();
    Connection.SecureSocketLayer = true;
    Connection.UserDefinedServerCertValidationDelegate += new
            Novell.Directory.Ldap.RemoteCertificateValidationCallback(LdapSSLHandler);

    public bool LdapSSLHandler(object sender, System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Certificate certificate, System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Chain chain,
                  System.Net.Security.SslPolicyErrors sslPolicyErrors)
    {
        if (sslPolicyErrors == sslPolicyErrors.None)
        {
            return true;   //Is valid
        }

        if (certificate.GetCertHashString() == "YOUR CERTIFICATE HASH KEY") // Thumbprint value of the certificate
        {
            return true;
        }

        return false;
    }

Answer 5

I finally found a way to make this work.

First, theses posts helped me get on the right track : http://directoryprogramming.net/forums/thread/788.aspx

Second, I got a compiled dll of the Novell LDAP Library and used the Mono.Security.Dll.

The solution:

I added this function to the code

// This is the Callback handler - after "Binding" this is called
        public bool MySSLHandler(Syscert.X509Certificate certificate, int[] certificateErrors)
        {

            X509Store store = null;
            X509Stores stores = X509StoreManager.LocalMachine;
            store = stores.TrustedRoot;

            //Import the details of the certificate from the server.

            X509Certificate x509 = null;
            X509CertificateCollection coll = new X509CertificateCollection();
            byte[] data = certificate.GetRawCertData();
            if (data != null)
                x509 = new X509Certificate(data);

            //List the details of the Server

            //if (bindCount == 1)
            //{

            Response.Write("<b><u>CERTIFICATE DETAILS:</b></u> <br>");
            Response.Write("  Self Signed = " + x509.IsSelfSigned + "  X.509  version=" + x509.Version + "<br>");
            Response.Write("  Serial Number: " + CryptoConvert.ToHex(x509.SerialNumber) + "<br>");
            Response.Write("  Issuer Name:   " + x509.IssuerName.ToString() + "<br>");
            Response.Write("  Subject Name:  " + x509.SubjectName.ToString() + "<br>");
            Response.Write("  Valid From:    " + x509.ValidFrom.ToString() + "<br>");
            Response.Write("  Valid Until:   " + x509.ValidUntil.ToString() + "<br>");
            Response.Write("  Unique Hash:   " + CryptoConvert.ToHex(x509.Hash).ToString() + "<br>");
            // }

            bHowToProceed = true;
            if (bHowToProceed == true)
            {
                //Add the certificate to the store. This is \Documents and Settings\program data\.mono. . .
                if (x509 != null)
                    coll.Add(x509);
                store.Import(x509);
                if (bindCount == 1)
                    removeFlag = true;
            }

            if (bHowToProceed == false)
            {
                //Remove the certificate added from the store.

                if (removeFlag == true && bindCount > 1)
                {
                    foreach (X509Certificate xt509 in store.Certificates)
                    {
                        if (CryptoConvert.ToHex(xt509.Hash) == CryptoConvert.ToHex(x509.Hash))
                        {
                            store.Remove(x509);
                        }
                    }
                }
                Response.Write("SSL Bind Failed.");
            }
            return bHowToProceed;
        }

And i used it in the binding process

// Create Connection
                LdapConnection conn = new LdapConnection();
                conn.SecureSocketLayer = true;
                Response.Write("Connecting to:" + ldapHost);

                conn.UserDefinedServerCertValidationDelegate += new
                    CertificateValidationCallback(MySSLHandler);

                if (bHowToProceed == false)
                    conn.Disconnect();
                if (bHowToProceed == true)
                {
                    conn.Connect(ldapHost, ldapPort);
                    conn.Bind(loginDN, password);
                    Response.Write(" SSL Bind Successfull ");

                    conn.Disconnect();
                }
                quit = false;

The key elements are using the SSL Handler to dynamically obtain the Certificate, and using X509StoreManager.LocalMachine so that when the website is running its able to save and fetch the certificates.

Answer 6

I think I may have already offered this answer to someone else in a different question.

[OtherQuestion on LDAP][1]

Two issues I think: 1) What kind of bind are you trying to do? SSL? Clear text? Anonymous?

2) How is it configured on the eDirectory side for LDAP binds?

The tool LDAP Browser, are you referring to the one at this link? Free LDAP Browser

On the eDirectory side, they can require TLS for all LDAP communication, and they can disallow Anonymous binds.

Can you ask the folks at the other end to enable LDAP tracing (Using DStrace with the +LDAP option enabled, some links for how to use Dstrace on Novell eDirectory look at: Different types of Dstrace Capturing and understand DS Trace for Identity Manager.)

That usually will show an error message that will enlighten you.

My guess is either Require TLS is enabled, and you might not be doing a successful SSL bind.

If so, try to connect on port 636, with SSL enabled, and a fully qualified DN for the user you are trying to login as.

If you are trying with SSL enabled, and you are not getting a pop up box about accepting the tree CA's trusted root certficate, then perhaps the CA or the SSL certificate taht the eDirectory server is user has expired or is broken. (There are any number of causes for this that can be common, and take but a moment to fix).

Usually in Dstrace you will see an error about the SSL certificate if there is a problem. An example from a Novell Identity Manager perspective of an expired certificate is in this article: Certificate Expired As well as some details on how to fix the certificates.

Next possibility is that the DN you are specifying is not quite correct.

Let me know if you need more help.