Test Posting an Authenticated SAML Response to My SP

[Mark Neidig]

I am getting an error when testing my SP's SSO: "Unable to decode base64 in POST binding message." However, actual posts from users at the IdP are successful.

Before I ask about the error, I ask for feedback on ways to test posting of an authenticated SAML Response to my SP. I have tested using www.testshib.org, but I want to test my actual shibboleth2.xml configuration, not a configuration staged for testshib.

Also, I have shibd.log entries from a successful posts by a user at the IdP, but users are not available for additional testing when I need them. So, in lieu of available remote users I do the following:


1.       Using a shibd.log entry of a decoded SAML message from a successful post

a.       I copy and paste the decoded SML message into an editor

                                                               i.      the decoded SML message text starts at <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><samlp:Response Version="2.0">

                                                             ii.      and ends at </samlp:Response>

2.       Now, whenever I need to test and the remote user is unavailable, I just:

a.       Edit the decoded SAML message's times to something current:

                                                               i.      IssueInstant="2015-03-26T14:12:17Z" (3 places)

                                                             ii.      NotOnOrAfter="2015-03-26T14:22:17Z" (1 place)

b.      Base64 encode the edited message. (I've tried base64 alone and I tried URL encoded plus Base64 encoded)

c.       Paste the encoded message in the "raw" space in Chrome's plugin called Postman. (If you don't use Postman, what do you use?)

d.      Set Postman's URL to my SP's ACS with a suffix of "?SAMLResponse" (example: https://test.mycompany.com/Shibboleth.sso/SAML2/POST?SAMLRequest)

e.      Set the http method to POST

f.        Click Send button

g.       Expected results: a display of my site's destination for authenticated SSO.

h.      Actual results: the error message "Unable to decode base64 in POST binding message."

This question may be better asked in a Postman forum. I'm asking here because I imagine that someone must use something to test their actual configurations.
If someone knows how to trouble shoot the error, that is also appreciated.

Thank you,

Mark
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