ClassCastException occurs on HTTPS web service call made when Tibco EMS SSL Java client library is on classpath

My app is using CXF to make web service connections to external services that require client PKI authentication. The app also uses Tibco Java client libraries for JMS over SSL. The Tibco libs set the following Java system property:

java.protocol.handler.pkgs=com.sun.net.ssl.internal.www.protocol

This causes my CXF web service client to throw a class cast exception when it attempts to make a secure connection. Let me explain why this occurs..

The java.protocol.handler.pkgs system property is a list of package name prefixes used by Java to resolve protocol names into actual handler class names. As of v1.4, JSSE has been integrated into the J2SDK. Thus, the classes formerly in com.sun.net.ssl have been promoted to the javax.net.ssl package and are now a part of the standard JSSE API.

For compatibility purposes the com.sun.net.ssl classes and interfaces still exist, but have been deprecated. Applications written using them can run in the J2SDK v1.4 and later without being recompiled. *Thus, setting the system property causes Java to use the deprecated implementation.*

The problem with CXF comes in because it assumes the newer handler package structure when it attempts to decorate the underlying connection with your TLSClientParameters.

A workaround should be implemented to support common, divergent subtype https implementations including com.sun.net.ssl.HttpsURLConnection.