Proxy file handling in gLExec

gLExec uses four environment variables for various reasons. This section is intended to explain what they do in a pragmatic way so that you should be able to work with them.

The environment variables of interest are:

• GLEXEC_CLIENT_CERT
• GLEXEC_SOURCE_PROXY
• GLEXEC_TARGET_PROXY
• X509_USER_PROXY

GLEXEC_CLIENT_CERT

gLExec needs a (proxy) certificate as input to know who to authorize and to which account you must be mapped. The mapping and authorization decision will be based primarily on this file.

The GLEXEC_CLIENT_CERT

• Contains a file path from the root to the file. Note: "/dir/subdir/../subdir2/proxy" is allowed.
• Must contain a public and private key pair in this one file.
• Must be readable by the user account calling gLExec
• Variable must be accessible by gLExec to read.
  • Typically that means to export it into the current shell.
• Must be set before calling gLExec.

Troubleshooting hints

When this environment variable is not available or when the given path is not readable by gLExec the following error messages will occur in the gLExec log indicating a problem with gLExec's input, in particular the absence of a usable GLEXEC_CLIENT_CERT:

glexec[10301]: LCAS authorization request
glexec[10301]: lcas.mod-lcas_run_va(): Cannot find certificate chain in pem string(failure)
glexec[10301]: lcas.mod-lcas_run_va(): failed

As a result of not being able to present tokens to be authorized, the gLExec tool will exit with a 203 exit code. This indicates that the authorization of the user has failed. For more information on the gLExec exit code, please visit: Exit codes of gLExec

X509_USER_PROXY (as input)

The X509_USER_PROXY passes through gLExec to the SCAS client or Argus client LCMAPS plug-ins. In a Multi User Pilot Job (MUPJ) environment this proxy is owned by the Pilot Job Framework Production Manager a.k.a. the Pilot User..

For the interaction with an site central authorization service these credentials are used to contact the service. The credentials will be used in the policy decision at the service, but for the SCAS interaction this identity (by its VOMS credentials for instance) must be whitelisted to be able to interact with the service. The X509_USER_PROXY is used to setup the mutually authenticated secure channel to the authorization service.

The X509_USER_PROXY

• Contains a file path from the root to the file. Note: "/dir/subdir/../subdir2/proxy" is allowed.
• Must contain a public and private key pair in this one file.
• Must be readable by the user account calling gLExec
• Variable must be accessible by gLExec to read.
  • Typically that means to export it into the current shell.
• Must be set before calling gLExec.

Troubleshooting hints

When this environment variable is not available or when the given path is not readable by gLExec the following error messages will occur in the gLExec log indicating a problem with LCMAPS plug-in's input, in particular the absence of a usable X509_USER_PROXY:

In case of using Argus you'll find the following lines in the log:

lcmaps.mod-startPluginManager(): error initializing plugin: /opt/glite/lib64/modules/lcmaps_c_pep.mod 
lcmaps.mod-lcmaps_init() error: could not start plugin manager 
 Initialization of LCMAPS failed. Please check in syslog or the logfile for LCMAPS (when able to be opened) for more details

Note: the quality of the log message will improve soon in a new release.

In case of using SCAS you'll find the following lines in the log:

lcmaps_plugin_scas_client-plugin_run(): No client side credentials for SSL handshake to the SCAS service presented. 
                                                 Not in the configuration file and not in the $X509_USER_{PROXY,CERT,KEY} environment variables. 
lcmaps_plugin_scas_client-plugin_run(): scas client plugin failed