# How to disable client certificate checks?

**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-disable-client-certificate-checks/341365
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Tags:** elastic-stack-security
**Created:** [August 22, 2023, 12:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-disable-client-certificate-checks/341365 "2023-08-22T12:25:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![nick\_harper1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@nick\_harper1](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nick_harper1)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2023, 12:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-disable-client-certificate-checks/341365/1 "2023-08-22T12:25:08Z")

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Is it possible to disable the server from checking the clients?

Even when I have this set:

xpack.security.http.ssl.client\_authentication: none

When I try to import anything using a script I get this:

at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:1623) ~[?:?]  
Caused by: javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: Received fatal alert: bad\_certificate

I can browse to the ES server on 9200 fine from the client.

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### Author: ![Yang\_Wang](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/yang_wang/32/48857_2.png) [@Yang\_Wang](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Yang_Wang)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2023, 2:43am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-disable-client-certificate-checks/341365/2 "2023-08-23T02:43:45Z")

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> [@nick\_harper1](#):
>
> at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:1623) ~[?:?]  
> Caused by: javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: Received fatal alert: bad\_certificate

If you see this error message in the server log, it means your client did not trust the server certificate. Therefore `xpack.security.http.ssl.client_authentication` is irrelevant, you need to adjust your client configuration.

Btw, since the shared error message is very brief, I am assuming it was indeed related to Elasticsearch's HTTP interface.

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### Author: ![nick\_harper1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@nick\_harper1](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nick_harper1)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2023, 9:26am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-disable-client-certificate-checks/341365/3 "2023-08-23T09:26:52Z")

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Yes it was just when trying to import data.

It's strange because HTTP does look to be working ok when in a browser using https but then the client doesn't trust it for some reason?

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### Author: ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2023, 10:54am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-disable-client-certificate-checks/341365/4 "2023-08-23T10:54:39Z")

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It's often the case with self signed certificates.

Try:

```
curl https://localhost:9200

```

It should fail as well unless you pass the -k option.

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### Author: ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2023, 10:54am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-disable-client-certificate-checks/341365/5 "2023-09-20T10:54:56Z")

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