Fixing server error: SMART error (CurrentPendingSector) detected on host: (your_sever_hostname)

This morning I got an email from one of my server with this content:

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This email was generated by the smartd daemon running on:

   host name: (your_server_hostname)
  DNS domain: yourdomain.com
  NIS domain: (none)

The following warning/error was logged by the smartd daemon:

Device: /dev/sdb [SAT], 1 Currently unreadable (pending) sectors


For details see host's SYSLOG.

You can also use the smartctl utility for further investigation.
The original email about this issue was sent at Sat Nov 21 15:15:52 2015 CST
Another email message will be sent in 24 hours if the problem persists.

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The confusing part is ... when I check the hard drive /dev/sdb using smartmon tool, it actually says PASSED!

smartctl -H /dev/sdb

smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [x86_64-linux-2.6.32-40-pve] (local build)

Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===

SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

But when I do a long test:

smartctl --test=short /dev/sdb

or 

smartctl --test=long /dev/sdb

and check the result using:

smartctl -a /dev/sdb

I found some errors:

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1

Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error

# 1  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%      6518         84256

as you can see I have a problem and it was confirmed by ONLY the long test.

I replaced the bad drive /dev/sdb and ran another short test.  Problem has been confirmed and fixed.

How to convert or create .pem and .key files from .p12 certificate file for Kount RIS certificate

I have a client who uses Kount for fraud detection and management.  Every year Kount require renewal of their RIS (Risk Inquiry System) certificate to be renewed.

This certificate is a X.509 certificate which has to be generated from Kount website.

Here are the steps I took to renew Kount RIS certificate:

Step 1:  Login to Kount awc.kount.net  (If you are a developer like me and have not logged into Kount for more than a few months, you may need to do forgot password)

Step 2:  go to Admin menu > RIS Certificate > Create New certificate

             (USE FIREFOX - which allows exportation of p12 file)

             (p12 file will be installed inside firefox)

             (export the p12 file to your local computer)

Step 3:  Copy p12 file to your web server to convert to .pem and .key file there using OpenSSL

              

To convert from .p12 to .pem

openssl pkcs12 -clcerts -nokeys -in your_source.p12 -out your_target.pem

To convert from .p12 to .key

openssl pkcs12 -nocerts -in your_source.p12 -out your_target.key

Step 4:   Make a copy of .p12 .pem .key to uniform filename used by your PHP script.

              

Step 5:   Copy the newly generated .pem and .key files to any other web server you have.