TestCenter: PRODUCT ALERT - Expiring License certificate - Upgrade to 5.61 or run the update tool for prior releases.
Knowledge Base - Solution
As of January 17, 2026, a security certificate that is compiled into the TestCenter(TC) software(SW) application, will expire.
Upgrading to 5.61 will resolve the issue, for users who need to run prior releases, a patch must be run in order to continue using the TestCenter application.
Symptoms
UI error: “CStcRunTimeError License file is corrupt...”
BLL log: “Invalid certificate, X509 verify failed...”
Upgrading to 5.61 will solve the issue without the need to run the certificate update patch.
To remain on 5.60 or earlier each TestCenter software type, on every installed host, will need its security certificate updated. The update patch can be run anytime before or after the expiration date.
The patch does not make any software changes and only updates the certificate. There is no negative impact running when not needed or multiple times.
1. Please download the attached .zip file ( TC certificate update patch.zip ) located under at the bottom of this article.
This zip files contains a readme and three different patches, one for each TestCenter software type (the LabServer uses the same patch).
Types of TestCenter Software:
Linux standalone (i.e., TestCenter API)
Windows application (i.e., TestCenter GUI)
LabServer - VM deployment / LabServer - Docker deployment
Note: The patch will recursively update multiple TestCenter software versions' installed on the same host system. It must be run on each host system.
If additional versions are installed after the update patch has been run, the patch will need to be run again.
2. Shut down all TestCenter instances before running the patch.
3. Unzip and run the appropriate patch for the TestCenter software type on each host system.
===Linux standalone installs (file: "tc-patch-2025")===
A. Copy the file to the Linux machine
B. Log into the Linux machine and issue the following commands:
cd <upload directory>
./tc-patch-2025 <target directory>
Example:
cd /home/admin
./tc-patch-2025 /root/Spirent/API/Spirent_TestCenter_5.57
===Windows (file: "tc-patch-2025.exe")===
Note: Depending on your companies IT polices and local system permissions, some users may need elevated access to run this exe.
A. From the command prompt run: 'tc-patch-2025.exe <target directory>'
B. Click "Yes" to User Account Control (UAC) elevation prompt.
Example1:
tc-patch-2025.exe “C:\Program Files\Spirent Communications”
tc-patch-2025.exe -y “C:\Program Files\Spirent Communications”
Options: -y
-y is for batch processing.
run this option only as an admin, you will not have a UAC prompt or the extra cmd window.
it is use case dependent… Some customers may have IT department deployments in batch mode.
===LabServer - deployed as a VM (file: "tc-patch-labserver-2025.tgz")===
A) Copy the file to the LabServer
Example:
scp tc-patch-labserver-2025.tgz admin@<labserver_ip_address>:/home/admin
B) SSH to the LabServer as admin (UN/PW = admin/spirent)
Example:
ssh admin@<labserver_ip_address>
C) Choose option [6] Shell Access
D) Issue the following commands:
cd <upload directory>
tar xf tc-patch-labserver-2025.tgz
cd patch && ./update-labserver.sh
===LabServer - deployed within a docker container (file: "tc-patch-labserver-2025.tgz")===
A) Copy the file to the LabServer
Example:
scp tc-patch-labserver-2025.tgz <user>@<labserver_ip_address>:<user_home_folder>
B) Log into the host machine and issue the following commands:
cd <upload directory>
tar xf tc-patch-labserver-2025.tgz
cd patch && ./update-labserver.sh
FX3|MX3-QSFP28-*
DX3|PX3-QSFP-DD-*
A1|A2|A3-400-QD-*-T1*
B2|B3-800-*-*-T1S
D1-1600-OSFP-4-T1S
Only affected if running MACsec:
FX2-1G|10G-S*
SPT-M1
SPT-C2-XX
FAQ
- Will I need to do this more than once?
No, once the patch is run, you are done unless you install a new instance TestCenter Software. In that case, just rerun the patch.
- What if I dynamically deploy the application or LabServer?
You would need to modify your deployment strategy to patch instances after deployment.
- Will this affect any features?
No, only the license certificate is updated with a new expiration date. No software changes are made.
- If someone uses TestCenter hardware that has been updated, will I need to run the certificate updater too?
Yes. The certificate is compiled into the TestCenter software and hence resides within each software type and version, on each host.
- Does this affect TestCenter Web-based applications or Virtual ports without hardware (e.g., TC+, TrafficCenter, etc.)?
No.
- What happens if I run the tool accidentally?
There is no impact.
- When I run the tool, why are there failed patches?
In the case of the TC GUI,
if there is a running instance, that will cause a patch failure.
Close the running instance and rerun the patch.