/var/log/vmware/sso/localhost.*.log grows to large size and filled with repeated java.lang.StackOverflowError on Platform Services Controller

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

•  /var/log/vmware/sso/localhost.*.log grows to large size and filled with repeated java.lang.StackOverflowError on Platform Services Controller

• In  /var/log/vmware/sso/localhost.*.log, you see entries similar to:

28-Oct-2018 00:00:12.234 SEVERE [tomcat-http--36] org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.invoke
Servlet.service() for servlet appServlet threw exception java.lang.StackOverflowError
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationHttpRequest.setAttribute(ApplicationHttpRequest.java:299)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationHttpRequest.setAttribute(ApplicationHttpRequest.java:299)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationHttpRequest.setAttribute(ApplicationHttpRequest.java:299)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationHttpRequest.setAttribute(ApplicationHttpRequest.java:299)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationHttpRequest.setAttribute(ApplicationHttpRequest.java:299)
  ...
        at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.RuleBase.matchesBase(RuleBase.java:205)
        at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.NormalRule.matches(NormalRule.java:92)
        at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.RuleChain.doRuleProcessing(RuleChain.java:83)
        at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.RuleChain.process(RuleChain.java:137)
        at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.RuleChain.doRules(RuleChain.java:144)
        at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.UrlRewriter.processRequest(UrlRewriter.java:92)
        at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.UrlRewriteFilter.doFilter(UrlRewriteFilter.java:394)
        at com.vmware.identity.ForwardingFilter.doFilter(ForwardingFilter.java:42)

 

• Log files under /var/log/vmware/sso might fill the space in vCenter Server Appliance and leads to VPXD service crash. 

Note: The preceding log excerpts are only examples. Date, time, and environmental variables may vary depending on your environment.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x

Cause

This issue can occur if incompatible or outdated URL rewrite rule is written or present in web.xml for STS service.

Resolution

1. Locate web.xml for STSService Webapp.

On Linux: /usr/lib/vmware-sso/vmware-sts/webapps/ROOT/WEB-INF/web.xml

On Windows: C:\ProgramData\VMware\vCenterServer\runtime\VMwareSTSService\webapps\ROOT\WEB-INF

2. Comment out the filter and filter-mapping for /ims/*

<!-- Disable ForwardingFilter filter.

   <filter>

       <filter-name>ForwardingFilter</filter-name>

       <filter-class>com.vmware.identity.ForwardingFilter</filter-class>

   </filter> -->

<!-- Disable URL rewrite for /ims/*

   <filter-mapping>

       <filter-name>ForwardingFilter</filter-name>

       <url-pattern>/ims/*</url-pattern>

       <dispatcher>REQUEST</dispatcher>

       <dispatcher>FORWARD</dispatcher>

   </filter-mapping> -->

3. Then restart sts service using below command 

             # service-control --stop vmware-stsd

  # service-control --start vmware-stsd

If above steps didn't help only then reboot the VCSA which will also help to confirm the configuration persistence status across reboot of VCSA.

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