# Can't start ES 7.3.0 with x-pack security enabled

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-start-es-7-3-0-with-x-pack-security-enabled/195742>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Tags:** elastic-stack-security\
**Created:** [August 19, 2019, 12:46pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-start-es-7-3-0-with-x-pack-security-enabled/195742 "2019-08-19T12:46:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 7

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**Author:** ![TimV](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/timv/32/13162_2.png) [@TimV](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/TimV)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 2:23am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-start-es-7-3-0-with-x-pack-security-enabled/195742/7 "2019-08-20T02:23:59Z")

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> [@ikakavas](#):
>
> If you want/need to use a password protected keystore/truststore, then you need to set also
> 
> ```auto
> xpack.security.transport.ssl.keystore.password: 
> xpack.security.transport.ssl.truststore.password: 
> 
> ```

This should not be necessary. We assume that the password is blank if it is not specified. Simply create a PKCS#12 file with a blank password, and leave the `.password` (and `.secure_password`) unset.

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_[View the full topic](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/cant-start-es-7-3-0-with-x-pack-security-enabled/195742)._