{"record":{"id":"a3625d4b2d78fd60","repo":"apereo/cas","slug":"could-not-update-the-ldap-entry-s-password-for-fi","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"Could not update the LDAP entry's password for [filter] and base DN [baseDn]: [diagnosticMessage]","messagePattern":"Could not update the LDAP entry's password for \\[filter\\] and base DN \\[baseDn\\]: \\[diagnosticMessage\\]","errorType":"exception","errorClass":"IllegalStateException","httpStatus":null,"severity":"critical","filePath":"support/cas-server-support-ldap-core/src/main/java/org/apereo/cas/authentication/LdapPasswordSynchronizationAuthenticationPostProcessor.java","lineNumber":66,"sourceCode":"                LdapUtils.LDAP_SEARCH_FILTER_DEFAULT_PARAM_NAME, List.of(credential.getUsername()));\n            LOGGER.trace(\"Constructed LDAP filter [{}] to locate user and update password\", filter);\n\n            val response = searchFactory.executeSearchOperation(ldapProperties.getBaseDn(), filter, this.ldapProperties.getPageSize());\n            LOGGER.debug(\"LDAP response is [{}]\", response);\n\n            if (LdapUtils.containsResultEntry(response)) {\n                val dn = response.getEntry().getDn();\n                LOGGER.debug(\"Updating account password for [{}]\", dn);\n\n                val operation = new ModifyOperation(searchFactory.getConnectionFactory());\n                val mod = new AttributeModification(AttributeModification.Type.REPLACE, getLdapPasswordAttribute(credential));\n                val updateResponse = operation.execute(new ModifyRequest(dn, mod));\n                LOGGER.trace(\"Result code [{}], message: [{}]\", response.getResultCode(), response.getDiagnosticMessage());\n                val result = updateResponse.getResultCode() == ResultCode.SUCCESS;\n                if (!result) {\n                    val message = String.format(\"Could not update the LDAP entry's password for %s and base DN %s: %s\",\n                        filter.format(), ldapProperties.getBaseDn(), updateResponse.getDiagnosticMessage());\n                    throw new IllegalStateException(message);\n                }\n                LOGGER.info(\"Updated the LDAP entry's password for [{}] and base DN [{}]\", filter.format(), ldapProperties.getBaseDn());\n            } else {\n                val message = String.format(\"Could not locate an LDAP entry for %s and base DN %s\", filter.format(), ldapProperties.getBaseDn());\n                throw new IllegalStateException(message);\n            }\n        } catch (final Exception e) {\n            LoggingUtils.error(LOGGER, e);\n            if (ldapProperties.isPasswordSynchronizationFailureFatal()) {\n                throw new AuthenticationException(e);\n            }\n\n        }\n    }\n\n    @Override\n    public boolean supports(final Credential credential) {\n        return credential instanceof UsernamePasswordCredential;","sourceCodeStart":48,"sourceCodeEnd":84,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/apereo/cas/blob/e7288fc434b4f4505b8452e1a57e8fb3111bb863/support/cas-server-support-ldap-core/src/main/java/org/apereo/cas/authentication/LdapPasswordSynchronizationAuthenticationPostProcessor.java#L48-L84","documentation":"LdapPasswordSynchronizationAuthenticationPostProcessor, after a successful CAS authentication, rewrites the user's LDAP password via an LDAP Modify (password attribute). When the ModifyResponse returns a non-SUCCESS result code it wraps the server diagnostic message in an IllegalStateException naming the search filter and base DN.","triggerScenarios":"Calling process() on a successfully authenticated Principal where the LDAP modify of the password attribute fails: insufficient write ACLs, password policy/quality rejection (e.g. no pwdpolicy controls honored), read-only replica, attribute not user-writable, or schema requires the ppolicy extended control.","commonSituations":"Bind account lacks write rights on userPassword/unicodePwd; AD requires LDAPS or the specific UTF-16LE quoted-password encoding; OpenLDAP pwdCheckModule rejects weak passwords; target server is a consumer replica.","solutions":["Grant the configured bind DN write permission to the password attribute at that base DN","Inspect updateResponse.getDiagnosticMessage() in the log — it names the exact server-side reason","Ensure the connection uses LDAPS/StartTLS if the directory requires a secure channel for password changes","If using Active Directory, confirm the password encoding/control handling matches AD requirements (or use an AD-specific password synch processor)","Fix replica/quality issues (point at a writable master, or strengthen the generated password)"],"exampleFix":"// before: bind user with read-only rights\n// ldap.search-and-bind.bind-dn=cn=readonly,dc=example,dc=org\n// after: bind user with password-write rights\n// ldap.search-and-bind.bind-dn=cn=pwd-admin,dc=example,dc=org","handlingStrategy":"try-catch","validationCode":"// precheck: can the bind DN write the password attribute?\nModifyRequest probe = new ModifyRequest(dn, new Modification(ModificationType.REPLACE, \"description\", \"write-probe\"));\n// execute with the same bind credentials and require ResultCode.SUCCESS","typeGuard":null,"tryCatchPattern":"try {\n    postProcessor.process(authentication);\n} catch (IllegalStateException e) {\n    if (e.getMessage().contains(\"Could not update the LDAP entry's password\")) {\n        logger.error(\"Password sync modify rejected: {}\", e.getMessage()); // diagnostic message names the server reason\n    }\n}","preventionTips":["Grant the bind DN write access to userPassword/unicodePwd at the relevant base DN","Always use LDAPS/StartTLS for password modifications","Test password changes against a staging directory with the same password policy","Point password synchronization at a writable master, not a replica"],"tags":["ldap","password-policy","write-failure"],"backgroundTag":"ldap-password-modify-failed","analyzedSha":"e7288fc434b4f4505b8452e1a57e8fb3111bb863","analyzedAt":"2026-09-08T15:39:16.015Z","contentChangedAt":"2026-09-08T15:39:16.015Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-09-15T23:17:13.987Z"}