Unable to connect to aurora DB from java 11

Recently we were trying to connect to 5.7.mysql_aurora.2.11.2 DB from Java 11 and were getting communication link failure in our Spring boot application. We were getting following error:

2023-05-26 21:20:43.826  INFO [,] 10788 --- [           main] com.zaxxer.hikari.HikariDataSource       : HikariPool-3 - Starting...
2023-05-26 21:20:45.756 ERROR [,] 10788 --- [           main] com.zaxxer.hikari.pool.HikariPool        : HikariPool-3 - Exception during pool initialization.

com.mysql.cj.jdbc.exceptions.CommunicationsException: Communications link failure

The last packet sent successfully to the server was 0 milliseconds ago. The driver has not received any packets from the server.
	at com.mysql.cj.jdbc.exceptions.SQLError.createCommunicationsException(SQLError.java:174) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.jdbc.exceptions.SQLExceptionsMapping.translateException(SQLExceptionsMapping.java:64) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.jdbc.ConnectionImpl.createNewIO(ConnectionImpl.java:836) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.jdbc.ConnectionImpl.<init>(ConnectionImpl.java:456) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.jdbc.ConnectionImpl.getInstance(ConnectionImpl.java:246) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.jdbc.NonRegisteringDriver.connect(NonRegisteringDriver.java:198) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.zaxxer.hikari.util.DriverDataSource.getConnection(DriverDataSource.java:138) ~[HikariCP-3.4.5.jar:na]
	at com.zaxxer.hikari.pool.PoolBase.newConnection(PoolBase.java:358) ~[HikariCP-3.4.5.jar:na]
	at com.zaxxer.hikari.pool.PoolBase.newPoolEntry(PoolBase.java:206) ~[HikariCP-3.4.5.jar:na]
	at com.zaxxer.hikari.pool.HikariPool.createPoolEntry(HikariPool.java:477) ~[HikariCP-3.4.5.jar:na]
	at com.zaxxer.hikari.pool.HikariPool.checkFailFast(HikariPool.java:560) ~[HikariCP-3.4.5.jar:na]
	at com.zaxxer.hikari.pool.HikariPool.<init>(HikariPool.java:115) ~[HikariCP-3.4.5.jar:na]
	at com.zaxxer.hikari.HikariDataSource.getConnection(HikariDataSource.java:112) ~[HikariCP-3.4.5.jar:na]
	at org.hibernate.engine.jdbc.connections.internal.DatasourceConnectionProviderImpl.getConnection(DatasourceConnectionProviderImpl.java:122) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.engine.jdbc.env.internal.JdbcEnvironmentInitiator$ConnectionProviderJdbcConnectionAccess.obtainConnection(JdbcEnvironmentInitiator.java:180) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.engine.jdbc.env.internal.JdbcEnvironmentInitiator.initiateService(JdbcEnvironmentInitiator.java:68) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.engine.jdbc.env.internal.JdbcEnvironmentInitiator.initiateService(JdbcEnvironmentInitiator.java:35) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.boot.registry.internal.StandardServiceRegistryImpl.initiateService(StandardServiceRegistryImpl.java:101) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.service.internal.AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.createService(AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java:263) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.service.internal.AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.initializeService(AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java:237) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.service.internal.AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.getService(AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java:214) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.id.factory.internal.DefaultIdentifierGeneratorFactory.injectServices(DefaultIdentifierGeneratorFactory.java:152) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.service.internal.AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.injectDependencies(AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java:286) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.service.internal.AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.initializeService(AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java:243) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.service.internal.AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.getService(AbstractServiceRegistryImpl.java:214) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.boot.internal.InFlightMetadataCollectorImpl.<init>(InFlightMetadataCollectorImpl.java:176) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.boot.model.process.spi.MetadataBuildingProcess.complete(MetadataBuildingProcess.java:127) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.jpa.boot.internal.EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.metadata(EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.java:1224) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.hibernate.jpa.boot.internal.EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.build(EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.java:1255) ~[hibernate-core-5.4.25.Final.jar:5.4.25.Final]
	at org.springframework.orm.jpa.vendor.SpringHibernateJpaPersistenceProvider.createContainerEntityManagerFactory(SpringHibernateJpaPersistenceProvider.java:58) ~[spring-orm-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.orm.jpa.LocalContainerEntityManagerFactoryBean.createNativeEntityManagerFactory(LocalContainerEntityManagerFactoryBean.java:365) ~[spring-orm-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.orm.jpa.AbstractEntityManagerFactoryBean.buildNativeEntityManagerFactory(AbstractEntityManagerFactoryBean.java:391) ~[spring-orm-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.orm.jpa.AbstractEntityManagerFactoryBean.afterPropertiesSet(AbstractEntityManagerFactoryBean.java:378) ~[spring-orm-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.orm.jpa.LocalContainerEntityManagerFactoryBean.afterPropertiesSet(LocalContainerEntityManagerFactoryBean.java:341) ~[spring-orm-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.invokeInitMethods(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1853) ~[spring-beans-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.initializeBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1790) ~[spring-beans-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:594) ~[spring-beans-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:516) ~[spring-beans-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.lambda$doGetBean$0(AbstractBeanFactory.java:324) ~[spring-beans-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:234) ~[spring-beans-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:322) ~[spring-beans-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:202) ~[spring-beans-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.getBean(AbstractApplicationContext.java:1109) ~[spring-context-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:869) ~[spring-context-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:551) ~[spring-context-5.2.12.RELEASE.jar:5.2.12.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.web.servlet.context.ServletWebServerApplicationContext.refresh(ServletWebServerApplicationContext.java:143) ~[spring-boot-2.3.7.RELEASE.jar:2.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:758) ~[spring-boot-2.3.7.RELEASE.jar:2.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:750) ~[spring-boot-2.3.7.RELEASE.jar:2.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refreshContext(SpringApplication.java:405) ~[spring-boot-2.3.7.RELEASE.jar:2.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:315) ~[spring-boot-2.3.7.RELEASE.jar:2.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1237) ~[spring-boot-2.3.7.RELEASE.jar:2.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1226) ~[spring-boot-2.3.7.RELEASE.jar:2.3.7.RELEASE]
	at com.influencers.shared.InfluencersBackofficeApplication.main(InfluencersBackofficeApplication.java:12) ~[classes/:na]
Caused by: com.mysql.cj.exceptions.CJCommunicationsException: Communications link failure

The last packet sent successfully to the server was 0 milliseconds ago. The driver has not received any packets from the server.
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method) ~[na:na]
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.java:62) ~[na:na]
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.java:45) ~[na:na]
	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Constructor.java:490) ~[na:na]
	at com.mysql.cj.exceptions.ExceptionFactory.createException(ExceptionFactory.java:61) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.exceptions.ExceptionFactory.createException(ExceptionFactory.java:105) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.exceptions.ExceptionFactory.createException(ExceptionFactory.java:151) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.exceptions.ExceptionFactory.createCommunicationsException(ExceptionFactory.java:167) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.protocol.a.NativeProtocol.negotiateSSLConnection(NativeProtocol.java:340) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.protocol.a.NativeAuthenticationProvider.connect(NativeAuthenticationProvider.java:167) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.protocol.a.NativeProtocol.connect(NativeProtocol.java:1348) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.NativeSession.connect(NativeSession.java:157) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.jdbc.ConnectionImpl.connectOneTryOnly(ConnectionImpl.java:956) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.jdbc.ConnectionImpl.createNewIO(ConnectionImpl.java:826) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	... 50 common frames omitted
Caused by: javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: No appropriate protocol (protocol is disabled or cipher suites are inappropriate)
	at java.base/sun.security.ssl.HandshakeContext.<init>(HandshakeContext.java:170) ~[na:na]
	at java.base/sun.security.ssl.ClientHandshakeContext.<init>(ClientHandshakeContext.java:103) ~[na:na]
	at java.base/sun.security.ssl.TransportContext.kickstart(TransportContext.java:238) ~[na:na]
	at java.base/sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.startHandshake(SSLSocketImpl.java:394) ~[na:na]
	at java.base/sun.security.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.startHandshake(SSLSocketImpl.java:373) ~[na:na]
	at com.mysql.cj.protocol.ExportControlled.performTlsHandshake(ExportControlled.java:317) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.protocol.StandardSocketFactory.performTlsHandshake(StandardSocketFactory.java:188) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.protocol.a.NativeSocketConnection.performTlsHandshake(NativeSocketConnection.java:97) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	at com.mysql.cj.protocol.a.NativeProtocol.negotiateSSLConnection(NativeProtocol.java:331) ~[mysql-connector-java-8.0.22.jar:8.0.22]
	... 55 common frames omitted

This error is occurs because 5.7.mysql_aurora.2.11.2 DB is not supporting SSL protocols which are enabled by Java 11. We tried passing connection parameters to JDBC connector to enable TLSv1.2 in the server but it did not help. We had to modify java.security file to remove TLSv1 and TLSv1.1 from list of disabled algorithms.

We were using AWS ECS for deploying our application so we were creating a docker image. We modified the Dockerfile to copy modified java.security file in the docker image. Following is the content of the Dockerfile:

FROM eclipse-temurin:11
ARG JAR_FILE=target/*.jar
COPY ${JAR_FILE} app.jar
COPY java.security ${JAVA_HOME}/conf/security/java.security
ENTRYPOINT ["java","-jar","/app.jar"]

This modification of java.security file solved our problem. Other methods of enabling TLSv1.2 did not work. We were able to connect MySQL 5.7 instance in docker without modifying java.security file but not with auora database.

The modified java.security file can be downloaded from https://www.bigdatawithjasvant.com/blogdata/00/0003/java.security