SAC Google Chrome SSL certificate untrusted; network error

[JamesRLongstaff]

Dear colleagues,

Has anyone else had any problems with SSL certificate authentication since the update of both SAC and Google Chrome this weekend?

As of 25/02/2019

SAP Analytics Cloud is on 2019.2

Google Chrome is on version 72.0.3626.119 (Build oficial) (64 bits)

I am now getting the error:

‘Failed to connect to HANA system. Please check possible causes: SSL certificate untrusted; network error. See the troubleshooting page for more information’

We connect to SAP HANA using the CORS method and previously for over a year of running dashboards with this connection we had no such issue.

I run Chromium on a previous version and the problem does not present itself using this version of the browser, which makes me think that the problem is related to the new version of Chrome.

Has anyone else had this problem or have a workaround? My current plan is to install a previous version of Chromium for clients who must have access to SAC in order that they can access their data. I have reported the issue on SAP One Support to both the SAP Analytics Cloud connection experts at LOD-ANA-BI and also the backend experts at HEC - HANA Enterprise Cloud. So that all affected areas are aware of the issue.

Any insights on how others are dealing with this would be gratefully received! If you do not have this issue it would also be interesting to know who issues your SSL certificates to see if that avenue might reap rewards.

Many thanks

James Longstaff

[JamesRLongstaff]

Dear John,

Spot on. We had been using a self signed ssl certificate since we went live about a year previously. Google Chrome and/or SAC finally updated to completely rule out this method of connection.

Our client installed Windows CA Server and created a private ssl certificate that is fit for purpose. Each end user has to have the root certificate in the approved root certificate authorities file of the Microsoft Management Console.

I have had one similar experience with Google Chrome updates and problems with SAC functioning afterwards. As a workaround in case of such incidents you can either roll back to a previous version of Chrome (if you have the installer files saved) or install a previous version of Chromium (the developers' version of Chrome). Neither are optimal due to security considerations but might provide an alternative when a client's production system is affected.

The other more proactive option is to test the beta versions of Chrome using Chromium to catch any potential problems with SAC function before they happen and report them to SAP. As a failsafe you can prevent Google Chrome updates by suspending the services in Windows that control them until you are sure that SAC functionality is not affected. All these suggestion require administrative maintenance effort.

Any other suggestions regarding this aspect of preventative maintenance welcome!

Regards

James