[Bug 676972] Re: pidgin does not connect to msn, certificate error

[Martin Pitt]

Accepted pidgin into lucid-proposed, the package will build now and be
available in a few hours. Please test and give feedback here. See
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to
enable and use -proposed. Thank you in advance!

** Changed in: pidgin (Ubuntu Lucid)
       Status: Triaged => Fix Committed

** Tags removed: verification-done

** Tags added: verification-needed

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pidgin does not connect to msn, certificate error
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/676972
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Status in Pidgin: Fix Released
Status in “pidgin” package in Ubuntu: Triaged
Status in “pidgin” source package in Lucid: Fix Committed
Status in “pidgin” source package in Maverick: Fix Released

Bug description:
When attempting to connect to MSN, Pidgin fails to load the contact list, citing an issue with the SSL certificate of omega.contacts.msn.com. This happened due to Microsoft renewing both the omega.contacts.msn.com certificate, as well as their certification authority certificate "Microsoft Secure Server Authority". Hence, the certificate in /usr/share/purple/ca-certs/Microsoft_Secure_Server_Authority.pem is outdated.

In addition, the transition from the old to the new certificate is not complete, only half-done, so a simple workaround of updating the certificate would not work. Both the old and new certificates have to be included. Debdiffs for natty and maverick are attached.

TEST CASE:
1. Start Pidgin
2. Click Tools->Certificates
3. Delete the omega.contacts.msn.com certificate
4. Try connecting to a MSN messenger account
5. If it fails with "Unable to validate certificate", then this bug is present.

Solution :
While waiting for a Pidgin update from Ubuntu, some people can apply this:
http://developer.pidgin.im/wiki/MSNCertIssue
Tested original on Lucid. Should be OK on all versions.

Original@: http://squidsrants.blogspot.com/2010/11/pidgin-msn-and-other-protocols.html
Also: http://blog.andreineculau.com/2010/11/pidgin-and-msn-certificate-error-for-omega-contacts-msn-com/