NSE7 Troubleshooting and Diagnostics Practice Question
An administrator runs 'diagnose debug application sslvpn -1' and sees repeated 'SSL_ERROR_SSL: error:1417C0C7:SSL routines:tls_process_client_certificate:peer did not return a certificate'. The SSL-VPN is configured to require client certificates. What is the cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse a client certificate not being sent with a CA certificate not being imported on the FortiGate, but the error message explicitly points to the absence of a certificate from the client, not a validation failure after receipt.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The client is not sending a client certificate
The error 'SSL_ERROR_SSL: error:1417C0C7:SSL routines:tls_process_client_certificate:peer did not return a certificate' occurs during the TLS handshake when the server requests a client certificate and the client fails to provide one. Since the SSL-VPN is configured to require client certificates, the FortiGate expects the client to present a valid certificate; if none is sent, the handshake fails with this specific OpenSSL error. This directly indicates that the client is not sending a client certificate, making option A correct.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The client is not sending a client certificate
Why this is correct
Correct. The error 'peer did not return a certificate' means the client did not provide the required certificate.
- ✗
The SSL-VPN server certificate is expired
Why it's wrong here
A server certificate expiry would show a different error, such as certificate verification failure.
- ✗
The SSL-VPN tunnel mode is misconfigured
Why it's wrong here
Tunnel mode does not affect certificate authentication; it is a transport mode.
- ✗
The CA certificate is not imported on FortiGate
Why it's wrong here
The CA certificate is needed to validate the client certificate, but the error indicates the client did not send any certificate at all.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This NSE7 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Fortinet certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the NSE7 exam.