FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0_05"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_05-b13)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 10.0-b19, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows XP SP 2
(Occurs on ubuntu linux gutsy as well)

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
A SSL connection is established to an https site and the SSL socket implementation fails to complete handshake.

The site has an self certified certificate present in the trusted keystore used.
When performed on JDK 1.5, the connection is established withouth a problem.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Standard HTTPSUrlConnection to a site with a custom certificate is trying to be established.
The sites certificate is present in the keystore used, and is successfully recognized.
Code sample is provided bellow. The test case works on Java 5.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The code to establish an SSL conection.
ACTUAL -
The connection fails with the following stack trace:

Caused by: javax.net.ssl.SSLException: java.lang.NullPointerException
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.Alerts.getSSLException(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.fatal(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.fatal(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.handleException(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.handleException(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.AppOutputStream.write(Unknown Source)
	at java.io.BufferedOutputStream.flushBuffer(Unknown Source)
	at java.io.BufferedOutputStream.flush(Unknown Source)
	at org.apache.axis2.transport.http.AxisRequestEntity.writeRequest(AxisRequestEntity.java:94)
	... 35 more
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.RSAClientKeyExchange.<init>(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.ClientHandshaker.serverHelloDone(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.ClientHandshaker.processMessage(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.Handshaker.processLoop(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.Handshaker.process_record(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.readRecord(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.performInitialHandshake(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.writeRecord(Unknown Source)
	... 39 more


ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Caused by: javax.net.ssl.SSLException: java.lang.NullPointerException
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.Alerts.getSSLException(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.fatal(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.fatal(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.handleException(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.handleException(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.AppOutputStream.write(Unknown Source)
	at java.io.BufferedOutputStream.flushBuffer(Unknown Source)
	at java.io.BufferedOutputStream.flush(Unknown Source)
	at org.apache.axis2.transport.http.AxisRequestEntity.writeRequest(AxisRequestEntity.java:94)
	... 35 more
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.RSAClientKeyExchange.<init>(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.ClientHandshaker.serverHelloDone(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.ClientHandshaker.processMessage(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.Handshaker.processLoop(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.Handshaker.process_record(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.readRecord(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.performInitialHandshake(Unknown Source)
	at com.sun.net.ssl.internal.ssl.SSLSocketImpl.writeRecord(Unknown Source)
	... 39 more


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
public class SSLTest {

	/**
	 * @param args
	 */
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		try {
		    System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.trustStore", "config/jssecacerts.store");
		    System.setProperty("javax.net.ssl.trustStorePassword", "changeit");

		    
			URL url = new URL("https://qawf.firstcall.com/NASApp/Guardian/SOAPStreamRouterServlet0");
			URLConnection conn = url.openConnection();
			System.out.println( conn.getContent() );
			System.out.println( "Connection to "+url+" established." );
		} catch( Throwable t ) {
			System.out.println( "Connection failed." );
			t.printStackTrace();
		}
	}

}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

Release Regression From : 5.0
The above release value was the last known release where this 
bug was not reproducible. Since then there has been a regression.