Error
Error Code:
4203
SAP S/4HANA Error 4203: Invalid LDAP Credential Format
Description
This error indicates that the credentials (username or password) provided for an LDAP authentication attempt are not in the proper format or syntax expected by the LDAP server. It typically occurs when SAP S/4HANA attempts to authenticate a user against an external LDAP directory, and the credential string sent is syntactically incorrect, preventing successful authentication.
Error Message
ERR_LDAP_MALFORMED_CREDENTIALS
Known Causes
4 known causesIncorrect Username Syntax
The username might contain invalid characters, be too long, or not follow the expected LDAP Distinguished Name (DN) format, such as 'uid=username,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com'.
Password Format Violation
The password provided might not meet the LDAP server's policy requirements, such as minimum length, character types, or could include characters that are improperly escaped.
SAP S/4HANA Configuration Mismatch
The LDAP connector configuration within SAP S/4HANA might specify a credential format or encoding that differs from what the actual LDAP server expects, leading to malformed requests.
Special Character or Encoding Issues
Usernames or passwords containing special characters (e.g., umlauts, non-ASCII characters) might be improperly encoded or escaped when transmitted to the LDAP server.
Solutions
3 solutions available1. Verify and Correct LDAP User Credentials in SAP System easy
Ensures the LDAP user configured in SAP S/4HANA has the correct username and password.
1
Log in to your SAP S/4HANA system using a user with administrator privileges (e.g., SAP_ALL profile).
2
Execute transaction code `SM30`.
3
Enter the table name `LDAPUSER` and click 'Maintain'.
4
Locate the entry corresponding to the LDAP user configured for your S/4HANA system. This entry typically contains the LDAP server details and the user credentials.
5
Carefully review the 'User Name' and 'Password' fields for any typos, extra spaces, or incorrect characters. The password is often stored in an encrypted format, but the username format is critical.
6
If the credentials are incorrect, update them with the correct LDAP username and password. Ensure the username follows the format expected by your LDAP server (e.g., `cn=user,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com` or `user@example.com`).
7
Save the changes.
8
Test the LDAP connection by attempting to authenticate a user or perform an LDAP-related operation within S/4HANA.
2. Re-establish LDAP Server Connection Configuration medium
Resets and reconfigures the LDAP server connection details within SAP S/4HANA.
1
Log in to your SAP S/4HANA system with administrative privileges.
2
Execute transaction code `LDAP`.
3
Navigate to 'Connection Settings'.
4
Identify the LDAP connection profile used by your S/4HANA system.
5
Temporarily disable or delete the existing LDAP connection profile. It's advisable to note down the existing settings before deleting.
6
Create a new LDAP connection profile. Provide the correct LDAP server hostname or IP address, port number, and the appropriate SSL/TLS settings if applicable.
7
Crucially, re-enter the LDAP user credentials (username and password) for this new connection. Pay close attention to the username format as required by your LDAP directory.
8
Save the new connection profile.
9
Perform a 'Test Connection' from within the `LDAP` transaction to verify the configuration and credentials are now valid.
10
If the test is successful, ensure this new connection profile is active and assigned to the relevant S/4HANA components that rely on LDAP (e.g., user authentication, role mapping).
3. Validate LDAP User Permissions on the LDAP Server advanced
Confirms the LDAP user has sufficient permissions to bind and read data from the LDAP server.
1
Access your LDAP server administration console or command-line interface.
2
Identify the LDAP user account that is configured within SAP S/4HANA (e.g., the user specified in `LDAPUSER` table or `LDAP` transaction).
3
Verify that this LDAP user account is enabled and not locked or expired.
4
Check the permissions assigned to this LDAP user. The user must have the necessary privileges to perform a 'bind' operation (authenticate to the LDAP server) and read the attributes of other user objects within the directory.
5
Commonly required permissions include 'read' access to the LDAP tree and the ability to perform anonymous binds or authenticated binds with the specified credentials.
6
If permissions are insufficient, grant the necessary read and bind permissions to the LDAP user. The exact method for this varies depending on your LDAP server implementation (e.g., Active Directory, OpenLDAP).
7
After adjusting permissions, attempt to test the LDAP connection from SAP S/4HANA again. You may need to restart SAP application servers or relevant services for changes to take effect.