Error Processing Profile Request

[Peter Schober]

* Tabitha O. Locklear <tabithao.locklear at uncp.edu> [2016-02-25 19:54]:
> 12:28:06.318 DEBUG
> [edu.internet2.middleware.shibboleth.idp.profile.saml2.AbstractSAML2ProfileHandler:790]
> - Using attribute transientId supporting NameID format urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:1.1:nameid-format:unspecified to create the NameID.
> 12:28:06.318 ERROR
> [edu.internet2.middleware.shibboleth.common.profile.ProfileRequestDispatcherServlet:85]
> - Error processing profile request java.lang.NullPointerException at
> edu.internet2.middleware.shibboleth.idp.profile.saml2.AbstractSAML2ProfileHandler.buildSubject(AbstractSAML2ProfileHandler.java:650)
> 
> I am having trouble understanding the error message and how to correct the issue.
> It looks as though the SP has no name format set inside their
> metadata and we are trying to pass the transientId which supports
> the NameID format. Then an error occurs.

AFAIK any NullPointerExceptions are considered bugs. But since
thousands of IDPs are generating transient NameIDs basically around
the clock, and transients don't depend on any real data (such as data
about the subject) it seems something is rather fundamentally off in
your system.

What exaclt version of the Shibboleth IDP is this? If it's a supported
one be sure to file an issue in the bug tracker and provide the
nesessary details there.
-peter