Oninit
Talk to an expert →

Informix Error -5009: CSM: authentication error.

Cause and resolution

CSM: authentication error.

A CSM (Communications Support Module) that performs principal authentication either in the database server or in the client failed to authenticate the principal.

If this error occurs during session establishment, the connection establishment fails. Otherwise, the connection is dropped.

A common cause for this error is that an invalid password is given or the desired database server does not consider the client computer or your user ID trusted.

Provide a correct password as required by the authentication. Or ask the system administrator to include the client computer as a trusted host and/or your user ID as a trusted user in the /etc/hosts.equiv file on the database server computer or in the .rhosts file in your home directory on the database server computer. For more information, see the UNIX manual pages on HOSTS.EQUIV(5).

If the problem recurs, contact IBM Informix Technical Support and have the following information available: CSS configuration files and sqlhosts information for both the client and the database server.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-5009 fires when a CSM (Communications Support Module) that performs principal authentication fails to authenticate the principal — per the official guidance, if this occurs during session establishment, the connection fails; otherwise, the connection is dropped.

  1. An invalid password, per the official guidance — a common named cause.
  2. The database server not trusting the client computer or user ID, per the official guidance — the other common named cause.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Provide a correct password as required by the authentication, per the official guidance.
  2. Ask the system administrator to include the client computer as a trusted host and/or the user ID as a trusted user, per the official guidance — in /etc/hosts.equiv on the database server, or in .rhosts in the home directory on the database server. See the UNIX manual pages on HOSTS.EQUIV(5) for more information.
  3. If the problem recurs, contact IBM Informix Technical Support, per the official guidance, with the CSS configuration files and sqlhosts information for both sides available.
Examples
Checking hosts.equiv trust
$ cat /etc/hosts.equiv
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Confirm the password being supplied is correct.
  2. Check /etc/hosts.equiv/.rhosts on the database server for the client host/user ID's trust entry.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -5008 — "CSM: peer disconnected." A related CSM connection error, about an orderly teardown (often credential expiration) rather than an outright authentication failure.
  • -5013 — "CSM: cannot obtain credential: authentication error." A related authentication error, about not being able to obtain a credential at all, rather than the credential being rejected.

CSM principal authentication failed — check the password, and confirm the client host/user ID is trusted per /etc/hosts.equiv/.rhosts.