Spring Security JavaConfig: IllegalArgumentException: 'name' must not be null - spring

Question

I am spinning my wheels trying to get spring security working with Java Config. I haven't even converted it from XML, I'm just trying the boilerplate config as per this blog post: http://spring.io/blog/2013/07/03/spring-security-java-config-preview-web-security/
Here is the related code pieces
public class ApiWebApplicationInitializer implements WebApplicationInitializer
{
#Override
public void onStartup(ServletContext servletContext) throws ServletException
{
// Create the 'root' Spring application context
AnnotationConfigWebApplicationContext rootContext = new AnnotationConfigWebApplicationContext();
rootContext.register(SecurityConfig.class, DatabaseConfig.class);
// Manage the lifecycle of the root application context
servletContext.addListener(new ContextLoaderListener(rootContext));
<snip>
And the security config
#Configuration
#EnableWebSecurity
public class SecurityConfig extends WebSecurityConfigurerAdapter
{
#Override
protected void registerAuthentication(AuthenticationManagerBuilder auth) throws Exception
{
auth.inMemoryAuthentication().withUser("user").password("password").roles("USER");
}
}
Initializer
public class ApiSecurityWebApplicationInitializer extends AbstractSecurityWebApplicationInitializer
{
}
Here is the big long ugly error
SEVERE: Exception sending context initialized event to listener instance of class org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener
org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'springSecurityFilterChain' defined in class org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration: Instantiation of bean failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanDefinitionStoreException: Factory method [public javax.servlet.Filter org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration.springSecurityFilterChain() throws java.lang.Exception] threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: 'name' must not be null
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:581)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1025)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:921)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:487)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:458)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:295)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:223)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:292)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:194)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:628)
at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:932)
at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:479)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:389)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.initWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:294)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener.contextInitialized(ContextLoaderListener.java:112)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4887)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5381)
at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:150)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1559)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1549)
at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:262)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:744)
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanDefinitionStoreException: Factory method [public javax.servlet.Filter org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration.springSecurityFilterChain() throws java.lang.Exception] threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: 'name' must not be null
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:181)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:570)
... 23 more
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: 'name' must not be null
at org.springframework.util.Assert.notNull(Assert.java:112)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactoryUtils.transformedBeanName(BeanFactoryUtils.java:72)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.transformedBeanName(AbstractBeanFactory.java:1018)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getAliases(AbstractBeanFactory.java:602)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.autoproxy.BeanNameAutoProxyCreator.getAdvicesAndAdvisorsForBean(BeanNameAutoProxyCreator.java:90)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.autoproxy.AbstractAutoProxyCreator.wrapIfNecessary(AbstractAutoProxyCreator.java:359)
at org.springframework.aop.framework.autoproxy.AbstractAutoProxyCreator.postProcessAfterInitialization(AbstractAutoProxyCreator.java:322)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyBeanPostProcessorsAfterInitialization(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:409)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1488)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:388)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.configuration.AutowireBeanFactoryObjectPostProcessor.postProcess(AutowireBeanFactoryObjectPostProcessor.java:56)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfigurerAdapter.getHttp(WebSecurityConfigurerAdapter.java:141)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfigurerAdapter.init(WebSecurityConfigurerAdapter.java:247)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfigurerAdapter.init(WebSecurityConfigurerAdapter.java:49)
at intouchapp.config.SecurityConfig$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$7c2e17f3.init(<generated>)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.AbstractConfiguredSecurityBuilder.init(AbstractConfiguredSecurityBuilder.java:352)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.AbstractConfiguredSecurityBuilder.doBuild(AbstractConfiguredSecurityBuilder.java:305)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.AbstractSecurityBuilder.build(AbstractSecurityBuilder.java:40)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration.springSecurityFilterChain(WebSecurityConfiguration.java:85)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$4da93da.CGLIB$springSecurityFilterChain$0(<generated>)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$4da93da$$FastClassByCGLIB$$841a1210.invoke(<generated>)
at org.springframework.cglib.proxy.MethodProxy.invokeSuper(MethodProxy.java:228)
at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassEnhancer$BeanMethodInterceptor.intercept(ConfigurationClassEnhancer.java:286)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$4da93da.springSecurityFilterChain(<generated>)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:160)
... 24 more
I have converted the entire rest of our application to Java Config which is quite sizable. All of that is working fine without the spring security stuff
Update: after going to RC2 I am now getting the following NPE. I'm not sure if it is related or not but I will post it here
SEVERE: Exception sending context initialized event to listener instance of class org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener
org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'webSecurityExpressionHandler' defined in class org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration: Instantiation of bean failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanDefinitionStoreException: Factory method [public org.springframework.security.access.expression.SecurityExpressionHandler org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration.webSecurityExpressionHandler()] threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:581)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1025)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:921)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:487)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:458)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:295)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:223)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:292)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:194)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:628)
at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:932)
at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:479)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:389)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader.initWebApplicationContext(ContextLoader.java:294)
at org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener.contextInitialized(ContextLoaderListener.java:112)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4887)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5381)
at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:150)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1559)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1549)
at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:262)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:744)
Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanDefinitionStoreException: Factory method [public org.springframework.security.access.expression.SecurityExpressionHandler org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration.webSecurityExpressionHandler()] threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:181)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ConstructorResolver.instantiateUsingFactoryMethod(ConstructorResolver.java:570)
... 23 more
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration.webSecurityExpressionHandler(WebSecurityConfiguration.java:76)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$c7a11be4.CGLIB$webSecurityExpressionHandler$2(<generated>)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$c7a11be4$$FastClassByCGLIB$$c49556dc.invoke(<generated>)
at org.springframework.cglib.proxy.MethodProxy.invokeSuper(MethodProxy.java:228)
at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassEnhancer$BeanMethodInterceptor.intercept(ConfigurationClassEnhancer.java:286)
at org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.configuration.WebSecurityConfiguration$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$c7a11be4.webSecurityExpressionHandler(<generated>)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606)
at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:160)
... 24 more

Answer 1

This is a bug in Spring Security's Java Configuration that occurs when BeanPostProcessors that require the bean name to be filled out (i.e. BeanNameAutoProxyCreator) are used. I created SEC-2382 and pushed out a fix for it.
If you have a chance, please respond to verify if the current snapshot fixes your issue. I will be releasing Spring Security RC2 that will contain the fix later this week (hopefully you can confirm the fix before then). You can find the current snapshots as version 3.2.0.CI-SNAPSHOT in the Spring Snapshot repository https://repo.springsource.org/snapshot For example, if you are using Maven your pom.xml might include the following:
<dependencies>
<!-- ... other dependency elements ... -->
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-security-web</artifactId>
<version>3.2.0.CI-SNAPSHOT</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-security-config</artifactId>
<version>3.2.0.CI-SNAPSHOT</version>
</dependency>
</dependencies>
<repositories>
<!-- ... possibly other repository elements ... -->
<repository>
<id>spring-snapshots</id>
<url>https://repo.springsource.org/snapshot</url>
</repository>
</repositories>

Answer 2

I came to this old question because I ran into the exception from the original error that looked like this:
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: 'name' must not be null
If you're in the same position, check that the constructor of the configured object is not somehow passing null as a bean name to the ApplicationContext.getBean() method.
Even though the original problem was a bug, presumably it was due to someone making the same mistake.