How to set up SSL (TLS) / HTTPS on Spring Boot using AES-256?

Question

I set up SSL on my Spring Boot server using RSA (How to configure SSL / HTTPS on Spring?) by following their guide:

• Created a new keystore and key using keytool -genkey -alias <alias> -storetype PKCS12 -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -keystore keystore.p12 -validity 3650

• Placed these lines in my application.properties file:

  server.port: 8443 server.ssl.key-store: classpath:keystore.p12 server.ssl.key-store-password: <keystore password> server.ssl.key-password = <key password> server.ssl.keyStoreType: PKCS12 server.ssl.keyAlias: <alias>

Works like a charm. But when I generate an AES 256 key by running keytool -genseckey -keystore keystore.jck -storetype JCEKS -storepass <store pass> -keyalg AES -keysize 256 -alias <alias> -keypass <key pass>, and change the .properties file to the new keystore / key values, every request to the server results in 0 EMPTY RESPONSE. What steps should I follow to configure it successfully?

Answer 1

Got it. Solved it. Key algorithms have little to do with the cipher you want to use (AES 256, in my case). Got it to work with a regular RSA, PKCS12 key.

Then, set the next properties in application.properties:

server.ssl.ciphers=ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA384,TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA,TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA256,TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
server.ssl.protocol=TLS

Answer 2

I had the same issue. Changing JDK 1.6 to 1.8 worked.

Answer 3

I had a problem with Spring Boot and embedded Tomcat, because my key didn't have 'tomcat' alias ... Creating key with 'tomcat' alias solved problems (embedded Tomcat wasn't picking up other keys ?)