apache/hadoop · error · IOException

Bad header found in token storage.

Error message

Bad header found in token storage.

What it means

Error "Bad header found in token storage." thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/Credentials.java:285

      return credentials;
    } catch(IOException ioe) {
      throw new IOException("Exception reading " + filename, ioe);
    } finally {
      IOUtils.cleanupWithLogger(LOG, in);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Convenience method for reading a token from a DataInputStream.
   *
   * @param in DataInputStream.
   * @throws IOException raised on errors performing I/O.
   */
  public void readTokenStorageStream(DataInputStream in) throws IOException {
    byte[] magic = new byte[TOKEN_STORAGE_MAGIC.length];
    in.readFully(magic);
    if (!Arrays.equals(magic, TOKEN_STORAGE_MAGIC)) {
      throw new IOException("Bad header found in token storage.");
    }
    SerializedFormat format;
    try {
      format = SerializedFormat.valueOf(in.readByte());
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
      throw new IOException(e);
    }
    switch (format) {
    case WRITABLE:
      readFields(in);
      break;
    case PROTOBUF:
      readProto(in);
      break;
    default:
      throw new IOException("Unsupported format " + format);
    }
  }

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Regenerate the token storage file; a bad header indicates corruption or a file written by an incompatible version.
2. Verify the file is actually a Hadoop token storage file and not an unrelated file passed by mistake.
3. Restore the credentials file from a backup if available.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/Credentials.java:285 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e83f70d429a25905. Report an issue: GitHub.