EDR: Nginx Not Starting With Invalid Number of Arguments

Products

• Carbon Black EDR (formerly Cb Response)

Issue/Introduction

• Implementing new CA WebUI certificate
• cb-nginx failed to start
• /var/log/cb/nginx/startup.log error message

nginx: [emerg] invalid number of arguments in "ssl_certificate" directive in /etc/cb/nginx/conf.d/cb-multihome.conf:66
nginx: [emerg] invalid number of arguments in "ssl_certificate" directive in /etc/cb/nginx/conf.d/cb-multihome.conf:66
nginx: [emerg] invalid number of arguments in "ssl_certificate" directive in /etc/cb/nginx/conf.d/cb-multihome.conf:66
nginx: [emerg] invalid number of arguments in "ssl_certificate" directive in /etc/cb/nginx/conf.d/cb-multihome.conf:66

Environment

• EDR Server: All Versions
• EDR Sensors: All Versions

Cause

Incorrect Syntax

• Pasted from pdf with hidden character
• Missing semicolon ; from an end of a line

Resolution

1. Open /etc/cb/nginx/conf.d/cb.conf (renamed from cb.multihome.conf.example)
2. Delete and manually retype the following two lines using your path and file name
   • ssl_certificate /etc/cb/certs/mycert.crt;
   • ssl_certificate_key /etc/cb/certs/mycert.key;
3. Start cb-nginx service
   • service cb-nginx start

Additional Information

This can also happen if the crt and key have more than one period using a key with _ instead of multiple .'s can prevent this error