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I currently have a problem with my website after trying to renew my SSL certificat.

I've done all the steps mentionned in this tutorial : https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-an-ssl-certificate-from-a-commercial-certificate-authority

On the final part when I have to enter the line sudo service apache2 restart I got this error message:

Job for apache2.service failed because the control process exited with error code.
See "systemctl status apache2.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.


systemctl status apache2.service

● apache2.service - The Apache HTTP Server
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/apache2.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
  Drop-In: /lib/systemd/system/apache2.service.d
           └─apache2-systemd.conf
   Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Mon 2020-05-18 00:18:34 UTC; 6s ago
  Process: 4867 ExecStop=/usr/sbin/apachectl stop (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
  Process: 7254 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/apachectl start (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
 Main PID: 1045 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)

May 18 00:18:34 systemd[1]: Starting The Apache HTTP Server...
May 18 00:18:34 apachectl[7254]: Action 'start' failed.
May 18 00:18:34 apachectl[7254]: The Apache error log may have more information.
May 18 00:18:34 systemd[1]: apache2.service: Control process exited, code=exited status=1
May 18 00:18:34 systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
May 18 00:18:34 systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache HTTP Server.
apache2ctl configtest
Syntax OK
apachectl configtest
Syntax OK

I tried the configtest command to see if I had any synthx error, but everything seems to be ok.

journalctl -xe

May 18 15:33:52 sshd[31542]: Failed password for i
May 18 15:33:53 sudo[31549]:     root : TTY=pts/0
May 18 15:33:53 sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session
May 18 15:33:53 systemd[1]: Starting The Apache HT
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun start-up
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun starting up.
May 18 15:33:53 apachectl[31555]: Action 'start' f
May 18 15:33:53 apachectl[31555]: The Apache error
May 18 15:33:53 systemd[1]: apache2.service: Contr
May 18 15:33:53 systemd[1]: apache2.service: Faile
May 18 15:33:53 systemd[1]: Failed to start The Ap
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has failed.
--
-- The result is RESULT.
May 18 15:33:53 sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session
May 18 15:33:55 kernel: [UFW BLOCK] IN=eth0 OUT= M
lines 1128-1150/1150 (END)
May 18 15:33:52 sshd[31542]: Failed password for invalid user bdt from 206.18
May 18 15:33:53 sudo[31549]:     root : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/root ; USER=root ; C
May 18 15:33:53 sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user
May 18 15:33:53 systemd[1]: Starting The Apache HTTP Server...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun start-up
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun starting up.
May 18 15:33:53 apachectl[31555]: Action 'start' failed.
May 18 15:33:53 apachectl[31555]: The Apache error log may have more informat
May 18 15:33:53 systemd[1]: apache2.service: Control process exited, code=exi
May 18 15:33:53 systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
May 18 15:33:53 systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache HTTP Server.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has failed.
--
-- The result is RESULT.
May 18 15:33:53 sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user
May 18 15:33:55 kernel: [UFW BLOCK] IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=fa:52:65:0e:6a:71:fe:00:
~
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lines 1128-1150/1150 (END)
May 18 15:33:52  sshd[31542]: Failed password for invalid user bdt from 206.189.212.33 port 38420 ssh2
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]:     root : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/root ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/sbin/service ap
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by root(uid=0)
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Starting The Apache HTTP Server...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun start-up
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun starting up.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: Action 'start' failed.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: The Apache error log may have more information.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Control process exited, code=exited status=1
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache HTTP Server.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has failed.
--
-- The result is RESULT.
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
May 18 15:33:55  kernel: [UFW BLOCK] IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=fa:52:65:0e:6a:71:fe:00:00:00:01:01:08:00 SRC=185.1
~
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lines 1128-1150/1150 (END)
May 18 15:33:52  sshd[31542]: Failed password for invalid user bdt from 206.189.212.33 port 38420 ssh2
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]:     root : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/root ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/sbin/service apache2 restart
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by root(uid=0)
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Starting The Apache HTTP Server...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun start-up
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun starting up.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: Action 'start' failed.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: The Apache error log may have more information.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Control process exited, code=exited status=1
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache HTTP Server.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has failed.
--
-- The result is RESULT.
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
May 18 15:33:55  kernel: [UFW BLOCK] IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=fa:52:65:0e:6a:71:fe:00:00:00:01:01:08:00 SRC=185.151.242.187 DST=167.99.179.159 LEN=40 T
~
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lines 1128-1150/1150 (END)
May 18 15:33:52  sshd[31542]: Failed password for invalid user bdt from 206.189.212.33 port 38420 ssh2
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]:     root : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/root ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/sbin/service apache2 restart
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by root(uid=0)
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Starting The Apache HTTP Server...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun start-up
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun starting up.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: Action 'start' failed.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: The Apache error log may have more information.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Control process exited, code=exited status=1
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache HTTP Server.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has failed.
--
-- The result is RESULT.
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
May 18 15:33:55  kernel: [UFW BLOCK] IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=fa:52:65:0e:6a:71:fe:00:00:00:01:01:08:00 SRC=185.151.242.187 DST=167.99.179.159 LEN=40 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=240 ID=15380 PROTO=TCP
~
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lines 1128-1150/1150 (END)
May 18 15:33:52  sshd[31542]: Failed password for invalid user bdt from 206.189.212.33 port 38420 ssh2
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]:     root : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/root ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/sbin/service apache2 restart
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by root(uid=0)
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Starting The Apache HTTP Server...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun start-up
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun starting up.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: Action 'start' failed.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: The Apache error log may have more information.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Control process exited, code=exited status=1
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache HTTP Server.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has failed.
--
-- The result is RESULT.
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
May 18 15:33:55  kernel: [UFW BLOCK] IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=fa:52:65:0e:6a:71:fe:00:00:00:01:01:08:00 SRC=185.151.242.187 DST=167.99.179.159 LEN=40 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=240 ID=15380 PROTO=TCP SPT=21789 DPT=3377 WINDOW=1024 R
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lines 1128-1150/1150 (END)
May 18 15:33:52  sshd[31542]: Failed password for invalid user bdt from 206.189.212.33 port 38420 ssh2
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]:     root : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/root ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/sbin/service apache2 restart
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root by root(uid=0)
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Starting The Apache HTTP Server...
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has begun start-up
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has begun starting up.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: Action 'start' failed.
May 18 15:33:53  apachectl[31555]: The Apache error log may have more information.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Control process exited, code=exited status=1
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: apache2.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
May 18 15:33:53  systemd[1]: Failed to start The Apache HTTP Server.
-- Subject: Unit apache2.service has failed
-- Defined-By: systemd
-- Support: http://www.ubuntu.com/support
--
-- Unit apache2.service has failed.
--
-- The result is RESULT.
May 18 15:33:53  sudo[31549]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
May 18 15:33:55  kernel: [UFW BLOCK] IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=fa:52:65:0e:6a:71:fe:00:00:00:01:01:08:00 SRC=185.151.242.187 DST=167.99.179.159 LEN=40 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=240 ID=15380 PROTO=TCP SPT=21789 DPT=3377 WINDOW=1024 RES=0x00 SYN URGP=0


When I try to access the folder /usr/sbin/apachectl by sFTP, we can see this error message: Directory /usr/sbin/apache2ctl: no such file or directory

In the file /var/log/apache2/error.log, I got :

[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451709 2020] [ssl:error] [pid 31566] AH02579: Init: Private key not found
[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451789 2020] [ssl:error] [pid 31566] SSL Library Error: error:0D0680A8:asn1 encoding routines:asn1_check_tlen:wrong tag
[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451800 2020] [ssl:error] [pid 31566] SSL Library Error: error:0D08303A:asn1 encoding routines:asn1_template_noexp_d2i:nested asn1 error
[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451807 2020] [ssl:error] [pid 31566] SSL Library Error: error:0D0680A8:asn1 encoding routines:asn1_check_tlen:wrong tag
[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451815 2020] [ssl:error] [pid 31566] SSL Library Error: error:0D07803A:asn1 encoding routines:asn1_item_embed_d2i:nested asn1 error (Type=RSAPrivateKey)
[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451823 2020] [ssl:error] [pid 31566] SSL Library Error: error:04093004:rsa routines:old_rsa_priv_decode:RSA lib
[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451830 2020] [ssl:error] [pid 31566] SSL Library Error: error:0D0680A8:asn1 encoding routines:asn1_check_tlen:wrong tag
[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451837 2020] [ssl:error] [pid 31566] SSL Library Error: error:0D07803A:asn1 encoding routines:asn1_item_embed_d2i:nested asn1 error (Type=PKCS8_PRIV_KEY_INFO)
[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451842 2020] [ssl:emerg] [pid 31566] AH02311: Fatal error initialising mod_ssl, exiting. See /var/log/apache2/error.log for more information
[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451846 2020] [ssl:emerg] [pid 31566] AH02564: Failed to configure encrypted (?) private key mydomain.com:443:0, check /root/certificate/mydomain.com.key
AH00016: Configuration Failed

Any help would be really appreciated. If you need to check something else, let me know what you need and how I can get the information. Thank you!

2
  • Hi, please check the error log in /var/log/apache/error.log, this will contain the error which you'd need to solve.
    – MichielB
    May 18, 2020 at 15:57
  • Thank you very much, I added apache / error.log in my question. It can't find the key, but it still knows that the key is in the certificate folder?
    – Geoffroy
    May 18, 2020 at 16:29

2 Answers 2

1

With the help of MichielB I have found the cause and the solution to my problem.

As MichielB pointed out, I had to check the error.log file to find the cause of my problem.

Hi, please check the error log in /var/log/apache/error.log, this will contain the error which you'd need to solve. - MichielB

So I have downloaded this file on my computer and opened it in a text editor to read the content. As we can see in the log file (see question for reference), the two important lines are :

[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451709 2020] [ssl:error] [pid 31566] AH02579: Init: Private key not found

Which indicates that the key can't be found (doesn't exist).

[Mon May 18 15:33:53.451846 2020] [ssl:emerg] [pid 31566] AH02564: Failed to configure encrypted (?) private key mydomain.com:443:0, check /root/certificate/mydomain.com.key

Which indicates where the key should be (in my case).

So I checked in the /root/certificate/ folder to find if the mydomain.com.key file was missing, but it was there as expected.

The next step was to download the mydomain.com.key file to my computer and open it in a text editor to check the content.

It was then that I quickly understood the problem: I did not have the right key or even the right file.

I do not know if it was a mishandling on my part during one of the stages of the installation of my SSL certificate, but my .key file was not a key. I knew it because there were no following tags in the file:

-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----

        {content}

-----END PRIVATE KEY-----

So if you have a problem similar to mine, make sure you have a .key file that your 000-default.conf or mydomain.com.conf file points to and make sure it is the correct key for the installed certificate (and not a key from the previous certificate, for example).

Thank you very much MichielB for your help! You made my day!

1

journalctl -xe is helpful in such cases too. You have to go up with up arrow on keyboard to see the issue. In my case it was SSLProxyEngine and alike configuration problem in sites-enabled apache configs.

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