Coder Perfect

“The remote certificate is invalid according to the validation procedure.” using Gmail SMTP server

Problem

I’m receiving the following error:

anytime I try to use Gmail’s SMTP server in my C# app to send an email. Is there anyone who can put me in the correct way for a solution to this issue?

The stack trace is as follows…

at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartSendAuthResetSignal(ProtocolToken message, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest, Exception exception)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.CheckCompletionBeforeNextReceive(ProtocolToken message, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartSendBlob(Byte[] incoming, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.ProcessReceivedBlob(Byte[] buffer, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReadFrame(Byte[] buffer, Int32 readBytes, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReceiveBlob(Byte[] buffer, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.CheckCompletionBeforeNextReceive(ProtocolToken message, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartSendBlob(Byte[] incoming, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.ProcessReceivedBlob(Byte[] buffer, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReadFrame(Byte[] buffer, Int32 readBytes, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReceiveBlob(Byte[] buffer, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.CheckCompletionBeforeNextReceive(ProtocolToken message, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartSendBlob(Byte[] incoming, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.ProcessReceivedBlob(Byte[] buffer, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReadFrame(Byte[] buffer, Int32 readBytes, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReceiveBlob(Byte[] buffer, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.CheckCompletionBeforeNextReceive(ProtocolToken message, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartSendBlob(Byte[] incoming, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.ProcessReceivedBlob(Byte[] buffer, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReadFrame(Byte[] buffer, Int32 readBytes, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReceiveBlob(Byte[] buffer, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.CheckCompletionBeforeNextReceive(ProtocolToken message, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartSendBlob(Byte[] incoming, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.ProcessReceivedBlob(Byte[] buffer, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReadFrame(Byte[] buffer, Int32 readBytes, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartReceiveBlob(Byte[] buffer, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.CheckCompletionBeforeNextReceive(ProtocolToken message, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.StartSendBlob(Byte[] incoming, Int32 count, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.ForceAuthentication(Boolean receiveFirst, Byte[] buffer, AsyncProtocolRequest asyncRequest)
at System.Net.Security.SslState.ProcessAuthentication(LazyAsyncResult lazyResult)
at System.Net.TlsStream.CallProcessAuthentication(Object state)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Net.TlsStream.ProcessAuthentication(LazyAsyncResult result)
at System.Net.TlsStream.Write(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size)
at System.Net.PooledStream.Write(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size)
at System.Net.Mail.SmtpConnection.Flush()
at System.Net.Mail.SmtpConnection.GetConnection(String host, Int32 port)
at System.Net.Mail.SmtpTransport.GetConnection(String host, Int32 port)
at System.Net.Mail.SmtpClient.GetConnection()
at System.Net.Mail.SmtpClient.Send(MailMessage message)
at BulkEmail.frmemail.mailsending(String toaddress, String fromaddress, String fromname, String subject, String pwd, String attachements, String mailmessage, String htmlmessage, Int32 i, Int32 j, String replytoaddress)

Asked by Josh

Solution #1

You can disable certificate validation as a workaround. Do this only if you’re certain the issue is being thrown because of a faulty certificate.

Before calling smtpclient, call this method. Send():

[Obsolete("Do not use this in Production code!!!",true)]
static void NEVER_EAT_POISON_Disable_CertificateValidation()
{
    // Disabling certificate validation can expose you to a man-in-the-middle attack
    // which may allow your encrypted message to be read by an attacker
    // https://stackoverflow.com/a/14907718/740639
    ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback =
        delegate (
            object s,
            X509Certificate certificate,
            X509Chain chain,
            SslPolicyErrors sslPolicyErrors
        ) {
            return true;
        };
}

Answered by Yury Skaletskiy

Solution #2

My problem was solved by clicking on this link.

http://brainof-dave.blogspot.com.au/2008/08/remote-certificate-is-invalid-according.html

I went to the web service’s url (on the server with the problem), then clicked the small security icon in Internet Explorer, which brought up the certificate. I then went to the Details page and selected Copy To File, which allowed me to save the certificate as a.cer file. I was able to import the certificate into the server’s certificate store following the methods below after I got it locally.

Begin a new MMC. Add/Remove Snap-In… in File –> Add/Remove Snap-In… in File –> Add/Remove Add a new item… Select Certificates from the drop-down menu and click Add. Select “Computer Account” from the drop-down menu. Next should be selected.

In the next screen, select the client computer. Finish by clicking the Finish button. Close the window. Click the OK button. Install the certificate into the certificate store for Trusted Root Certification Authorities now. All users will be able to trust the certificate as a result of this.

Answered by T-Rex

Solution #3

If you’re looking for a solution similar to Yury’s, the following code can help you determine if the problem is caused by a self-signed certificate and, if so, ignore the self-sign error. You could, of course, look for more SSL issues if you wanted to.

The following is the code we use (thanks to Microsoft – http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/dd633677(v=exchg.80).aspx):

  private static bool CertificateValidationCallBack(
         object sender,
         System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Certificate certificate,
         System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Chain chain,
         System.Net.Security.SslPolicyErrors sslPolicyErrors)
    {
  // If the certificate is a valid, signed certificate, return true.
  if (sslPolicyErrors == System.Net.Security.SslPolicyErrors.None)
  {
    return true;
  }

  // If there are errors in the certificate chain, look at each error to determine the cause.
  if ((sslPolicyErrors & System.Net.Security.SslPolicyErrors.RemoteCertificateChainErrors) != 0)
  {
    if (chain != null && chain.ChainStatus != null)
    {
      foreach (System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509ChainStatus status in chain.ChainStatus)
      {
        if ((certificate.Subject == certificate.Issuer) &&
           (status.Status == System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509ChainStatusFlags.UntrustedRoot))
        {
          // Self-signed certificates with an untrusted root are valid. 
          continue;
        }
        else
        {
          if (status.Status != System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509ChainStatusFlags.NoError)
          {
            // If there are any other errors in the certificate chain, the certificate is invalid,
         // so the method returns false.
            return false;
          }
        }
      }
    }

    // When processing reaches this line, the only errors in the certificate chain are 
// untrusted root errors for self-signed certificates. These certificates are valid
// for default Exchange server installations, so return true.
    return true;
  }
  else
  {
 // In all other cases, return false.
    return false;
  }
}

Answered by Hooligancat

Solution #4

When the certificate is no longer valid, you can improve the code by asking the user whether he wants to continue or not. Do you want to keep going? As follows:

ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback = 
    new RemoteCertificateValidationCallback(ValidateServerCertificate);

Also, include a method like this:

public static bool ValidateServerCertificate(object sender,X509Certificate certificate,X509Chain chain,SslPolicyErrors sslPolicyErrors)
{
    if (sslPolicyErrors == SslPolicyErrors.None)
        return true;
    else
    {
        if (System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("The server certificate is not valid.\nAccept?", "Certificate Validation", System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxIcon.Question) == System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Yes)
            return true;
        else
            return false;
    }
}

Answered by LinuxLover

Solution #5

I had the same issue and discovered that the “Scan SSL connection” option in Avast’s Mail Shield was turned on by default. Make certain that it is turned off.

According to my knowledge, Avast will “open” the email, scan it for viruses, and then sign it with its own certificate, meaning the email will no longer be certified by the gmail certificate, resulting in the mistake.

Solution 1:

Solution 2 (Should be the best in terms of security):

Answered by tehCivilian

Post is based on https://stackoverflow.com/questions/777607/the-remote-certificate-is-invalid-according-to-the-validation-procedure-using