Security is a critical concern in enterprise integration, especially when exchanging sensitive data across networks and between diverse systems. SAP Cloud Platform Integration (SAP CPI) ensures secure communication through SSL/TLS protocols, which require proper management of SSL certificates.
This article provides an introduction to configuring SSL certificates in SAP CPI, explaining why certificates are important, the types of certificates involved, and step-by-step guidance to configure them effectively.
¶ What are SSL Certificates and Why Are They Important?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates—more accurately referred to as TLS certificates—are digital certificates that establish encrypted communication channels between client and server systems. They:
- Authenticate the identity of the communicating parties
- Encrypt data in transit to prevent eavesdropping or tampering
- Enable trust between systems during communication
In SAP CPI, SSL certificates are essential to secure HTTPS endpoints, web services, APIs, and other communication channels.
- Server Certificates: Used by SAP CPI when exposing HTTPS endpoints to clients.
- Client Certificates: Used by SAP CPI to authenticate itself to external systems requiring mutual SSL authentication.
- Trusted Certificates: Certificates from external servers or clients that SAP CPI trusts, typically added as CA (Certificate Authority) certificates.
SSL certificates in SAP CPI are managed in the Keystore section within the SAP CPI web interface under Security Materials. This is where you upload, store, and manage both private keys and trusted certificates.
- Log in to your SAP CPI tenant.
- Navigate to Design → Keystore or via Operations → Security Material.
To trust an external server’s SSL certificate:
- Obtain the public certificate (in .cer, .crt, or .pem format) from the external system.
- Click Add → Trusted Certificate.
- Upload the certificate file and provide a meaningful name.
- Save the entry.
This step ensures that SAP CPI trusts the external server during SSL handshake.
For scenarios where SAP CPI must authenticate itself to a backend system:
- Obtain the client certificate and private key (usually in .p12 or .pfx format).
- Click Add → Key Store Entry.
- Upload the certificate file and enter the password if required.
- Save the entry.
- When configuring a communication channel (sender or receiver), go to the Connection tab.
- Under SSL, select the relevant certificate from the dropdown (trusted or client certificate).
- For mutual SSL, both client and trusted certificates must be properly configured.
¶ 5. Test and Monitor SSL Communication
- Deploy the integration flow.
- Test communication to ensure SSL handshake succeeds.
- Use SAP CPI monitoring tools to review message logs and troubleshoot SSL errors.
- Securing HTTP(S) sender and receiver adapters communicating with backend APIs.
- Enabling mutual SSL authentication for enhanced security.
- Connecting to external web services that require trusted CA certificates.
- Ensuring secure FTP (FTPS) communication.
- Keep certificates up to date and renew before expiry.
- Use certificates issued by trusted Certificate Authorities.
- Protect private keys and restrict access.
- Regularly audit keystore entries and remove unused certificates.
- Implement mutual SSL where high security is required.
- SSL handshake failure: Verify certificates are correctly uploaded and assigned.
- Certificate expired: Check certificate validity dates and update as needed.
- Hostname verification errors: Ensure the server’s certificate matches the hostname.
- Incorrect certificate selection: Double-check communication channel SSL configuration.
Proper SSL certificate configuration in SAP CPI is vital for securing integration scenarios and building trust between communicating systems. By managing trusted and client certificates carefully within the SAP CPI keystore and referencing them appropriately in communication channels, organizations can ensure encrypted, authenticated, and reliable data exchange.
Understanding and implementing SSL certificate management is a fundamental skill for SAP CPI integration developers and administrators aiming to maintain robust security in their cloud integration landscapes.