“The remote certificate is invalid according to th

Question

I'm getting this error:

The remote certificate is invalid according to the validation procedure.

whenever I try to send e-mail using Gmail's SMTP server in my C# code. Can someone point me to the right direction for a solution to this problem?

The following is the stack trace...

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)

Answer 1

I know I am pretty late in this game, but I haven't seen an answer here pointing to the system.diagnostics logs for the TLS Stream.

Before you do any changes to your code, make sure you understand what the problem is about. The AuthenticationException is one of that very generic exception which does not tell much. To learn what's going under the hood edit the app.config file for your application (or create a new one) and make sure you have System.Net trace source enabled in the system.diagnostics section, for example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
  <system.diagnostics>
    <trace autoflush="true" />
    <sharedListeners>
      <add name="file" initializeData="c:\network.log" type="System.Diagnostics.TextWriterTraceListener" />
    </sharedListeners>
    <sources>
      <source name="System.Net" switchValue="Verbose">
        <listeners>
          <add name="file" />
        </listeners>
      </source>
    </sources>
  </system.diagnostics>
</configuration>

Rerun your application and check the c:\network.log file. You should see there detailed information about your TLS (SSL) connection, for example:

System.Net Information: 0 : [12764] InitializeSecurityContext(credential = System.Net.SafeFreeCredential_SECURITY, context = f44368:535f958, targetName = localhost, inFlags = ReplayDetect, SequenceDetect, Confidentiality, AllocateMemory, InitManualCredValidation)
System.Net Information: 0 : [12764] InitializeSecurityContext(In-Buffers count=2, Out-Buffer length=0, returned code=OK).
System.Net Information: 0 : [12764] Remote certificate: [Version]
  V3

[Subject]
  CN=test
  Simple Name: test
  DNS Name: example.com

[Issuer]
  CN=Root CA
  Simple Name: Root CA
  DNS Name: Root CA

...

[Signature Algorithm]
  sha256RSA(1.2.840.113549.1.1.11)

[Public Key]
  Algorithm: RSA
  Length: 2048
  Key Blob: ....
System.Net Information: 0 : [12764] SecureChannel#38496415 - Remote certificate has errors:
System.Net Information: 0 : [12764] SecureChannel#38496415 -    Certificate name mismatch.
System.Net Information: 0 : [12764] SecureChannel#38496415 - Remote certificate was verified as invalid by the user.
System.Net Error: 0 : [12764] Exception in AppDomain#10923418::UnhandledExceptionHandler - The remote certificate is invalid according to the validation procedure..

Knowing what causes the problem, you should be able to resolve it or at least narrow your Google searches.

Answer 2

A little late to the party, but if you are looking for a solution like Yury's the following code will help you identify if the issue is related to a self-sign certificate and, if so ignore the self-sign error. You could obviously check for other SSL errors if you so desired.

The code we use (courtesy of Microsoft - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/dd633677(v=exchg.80).aspx) is as follows:

  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;
  }
}

Answer 3

Your website folder needs network service security. Especially the web.config. It uses this account to access your registry for the certificates. This will stop the need to add a hack to your code.

Answer 4

Check your computer's Date and Time. If it is wrong, update it to the current time or set it automatically to get the time from the Internet.

Because certificates are tied to a fixed time period, if your clock is wrong, you are likely to get errors like this. In that scenario, by fixing the time, the problem will be fixed.

Answer 5

It solved my issue

smtpClient.Credentials = new NetworkCredential(sendMail.UserName, sendMail.Password);
smtpClient.EnableSsl = false;//sendMail.EnableSSL;

// With Reference to // Problem comes only Use above line to set false SSl to solve error when username and password is entered in SMTP settings.

Answer 6

here is the solution that I decided to use.

        ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback = delegate (object s, X509Certificate certificate, X509Chain chain, SslPolicyErrors sslPolicyErrors)
        {
            string name = certificate.Subject;

            DateTime expirationDate = DateTime.Parse(certificate.GetExpirationDateString());

            if (sslPolicyErrors == SslPolicyErrors.None || (sslPolicyErrors == SslPolicyErrors.RemoteCertificateNameMismatch && name.EndsWith(".acceptabledomain.com") && expirationDate > DateTime.Now))
            {
                return true;
            }
            return false;
        };