{"record":{"id":"b22c771bb0bb4984","repo":"hyperledger/fabric","slug":"could-not-serialize-the-signing-identity-v","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"could not serialize the signing identity: %v","messagePattern":"could not serialize the signing identity: (.+?)","errorType":"exception","errorClass":null,"httpStatus":null,"severity":"critical","filePath":"core/handlers/endorsement/plugin/plugin.go","lineNumber":49,"sourceCode":"// DefaultEndorsement is an endorsement plugin that behaves as the default endorsement system chaincode\ntype DefaultEndorsement struct {\n\tidentities.SigningIdentityFetcher\n}\n\n// Endorse signs the given payload(ProposalResponsePayload bytes), and optionally mutates it.\n// Returns:\n// The Endorsement: A signature over the payload, and an identity that is used to verify the signature\n// The payload that was given as input (could be modified within this function)\n// Or error on failure\nfunc (e *DefaultEndorsement) Endorse(prpBytes []byte, sp *peer.SignedProposal) (*peer.Endorsement, []byte, error) {\n\tsigner, err := e.SigningIdentityForRequest(sp)\n\tif err != nil {\n\t\treturn nil, nil, fmt.Errorf(\"failed fetching signing identity: %v\", err)\n\t}\n\t// serialize the signing identity\n\tidentityBytes, err := signer.Serialize()\n\tif err != nil {\n\t\treturn nil, nil, fmt.Errorf(\"could not serialize the signing identity: %v\", err)\n\t}\n\n\t// sign the concatenation of the proposal response and the serialized endorser identity with this endorser's key\n\tsignature, err := signer.Sign(append(prpBytes, identityBytes...))\n\tif err != nil {\n\t\treturn nil, nil, fmt.Errorf(\"could not sign the proposal response payload: %v\", err)\n\t}\n\tendorsement := &peer.Endorsement{Signature: signature, Endorser: identityBytes}\n\treturn endorsement, prpBytes, nil\n}\n\n// Init injects dependencies into the instance of the Plugin\nfunc (e *DefaultEndorsement) Init(dependencies ...endorsement.Dependency) error {\n\tfor _, dep := range dependencies {\n\t\tsIDFetcher, isSigningIdentityFetcher := dep.(identities.SigningIdentityFetcher)\n\t\tif !isSigningIdentityFetcher {\n\t\t\tcontinue\n\t\t}","sourceCodeStart":31,"sourceCodeEnd":67,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/hyperledger/fabric/blob/2736b63f8fd5932511d56fe68b7039d15977f7f6/core/handlers/endorsement/plugin/plugin.go#L31-L67","documentation":"In the pluggable endorsement DefaultEndorsement.Endorse, signer.Serialize() converts the resolved signing identity into bytes for the Endorser field of the peer.Endorsement. This error indicates the identity exists but its serialized form could not be produced by the MSP/crypto layer.","triggerScenarios":"Endorse (invoked via EndorseWithPlugin or TestEndorsementPlugin) successfully fetched the signer but signer.Serialize() fails — corrupt/missing local MSP cert chain, BCCSP keystore problems, or an identity whose certificate bytes cannot be marshaled to the identity protobuf.","commonSituations":"Partial crypto material on disk (signcerts present but malformed); PKCS#11 HSM export restrictions; identity certificates regenerated under the peer while an old signer handle is cached in tests.","solutions":["Inspect the wrapped serialization error from the peer/plugin log","Validate the local MSP tree (signcerts, keystore, cacerts, admincerts) is complete and well-formed PEM","Re-import or regenerate the peer's MSP material and recreate the plugin instance","When using an HSM, confirm the token allows the operations the crypto library needs"],"exampleFix":"// before: signcerts contains an empty/corrupt PEM\n//   could not serialize the signing identity: ... asn1: structure error\n// after: replace with a valid signer cert\n// cp valid-cert.pem /var/hyperledger/msp/signcerts/cert.pem\n// restart peer / recreate plugin with fresh SigningIdentityFetcher","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"signer, err := fetcher.SigningIdentityForRequest(sp)\nif err != nil { return err }\nif _, err := signer.Serialize(); err != nil {\n    return fmt.Errorf(\"cannot serialize signing identity, check MSP material: %w\", err)\n}","typeGuard":"func canSerialize(id msp.SigningIdentity) bool {\n    b, err := id.Serialize()\n    return err == nil && len(b) > 0\n}","tryCatchPattern":null,"preventionTips":["Validate PEM files in local MSP at startup","Keep HSM tokens operational and pin/slot config current","Recreate plugin instances after crypto material rotation","Fail fast on empty serialized identity output"],"tags":["fabric","endorsement-plugin","identity-serialization","msp","bccsp"],"backgroundTag":"msp-identity-serialization-failed","analyzedSha":"2736b63f8fd5932511d56fe68b7039d15977f7f6","analyzedAt":"2026-09-04T08:52:36.465Z","contentChangedAt":"2026-09-04T08:52:36.465Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-09-08T10:18:20.063Z"}