You receive a "Logon failure" message when you use a smart card on a Windows Server 2003-based computer

When you try to use a smart card to log on to a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 domain controller, you cannot log on and you may receive the following message:

This problem occurs when the certificate revocation list (CRL) is outdated and a new CRL is not available. A public key infrastructure (PKI) that is not working can cause the distribution server of the CRL not to publish a new CRL. If a new CRL is not published, logons to client computers are not allowed.

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2003

IA-64-based versions

x64-based versions

x86-based versions

After you install the hotfix

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
If the certification authority (CA) is unavailable to publish a new CRL after you install this hotfix, you can use registry keys to extend the validity period of the CRL. To do this, follow these steps.

On domain controllers

1. Start Registry Editor.
2. Locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\KDC
3. On the Edit menu, click New, and then add the following registry entry:
   
   Value Name: CRLValidityExtensionPeriod
   Value Type: DWORD
   Value Data: Hours (Decimal)
   Description: This DWORD value lets you to extend the CRL validity period by a specified number of hours. When you set this value to a nonzero value, the certificate status checking code for smart card logons ignores any validity period errors as long as the CRL is not expired by more than the number of specified hours. This extension of the validity period applies only to CRLs that are used during the evaluation of certificates that are used for smart card logon. For example, this extension would apply to a certificate that is issued by a CA that is populated in the NTAuth store and to any certificates that are part of the trust chain that is used to verify the NTAuth store certificate.
4. Locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\KDC
5. On the Edit menu, click New, and then add the following registry entry:
   
   Value Name: CRLTimeoutPeriod
   Value Type: DWORD
   Value Data: Seconds (Decimal)
   Description: This DWORD value lets you to specify the CRL time-out period to reduce false positives. The Key Distribution Center (KDC) passes this value to the certificate policy checking code. By default, the KDC specifies a time-out value of 90 seconds even if this registry value is not set.

On client computers

Windows XP

1. Start Registry editor.
2. Locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\LSA\Kerberos
3. On the Edit menu, click New, and then add the following registry entry:
   
   Value Name: CRLTimeoutPeriod
   Value Type: DWORD
   Value Data: Seconds (Decimal)
   Description: This DWORD value lets you to specify the CRL time-out period to reduce false positives. The Kerberos client passes this value to the certificate policy checking code. By default, the Kerberos client specifies a time-out value of 90 seconds even if this registry value is not set.
4. Locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\LSA\Kerberos
5. On the Edit menu, click New, and then add the following registry entry:
   
   Value Name: UseCachedCRLOnlyAndIgnoreRevocationUnknownErrors
   Value Type: DWORD
   Value Data: 1
   Description: After you set this DWORD value to 1, the Kerberos clients (Smartcard logon clients) will ignore "revocation unknown" errors that are caused by an expired CRL.

Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008

1. Start Registry Editor.
2. Locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\LSA\Kerberos\Parameters
3. On the Edit menu, click New, and then add the following registry entry:
   
   Value Name: CRLTimeoutPeriod
   Value Type: DWORD
   Value Data: Seconds (Decimal)
   Description: This DWORD value lets you to specify the CRL time-out period to reduce false positives. The Kerberos client passes this value to the certificate policy checking code. By default, the Kerberos client specifies a time-out value of 90 seconds even if this registry value is not set.
4. Locate the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\LSA\Kerberos\Parameters
5. On the Edit menu, click New, and then add the following registry entry:
   
   Value Name: UseCachedCRLOnlyAndIgnoreRevocationUnknownErrors
   Value Type: DWORD
   Value Data: 1
   Description: After you set this DWORD value to 1, the Kerberos clients (Smartcard logon clients) will ignore "revocation unknown" errors that are caused by an expired CRL.

To work around this problem, disable the policy that requires a smart card to log on. To disable this policy, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK.
2. Under Local Computer Policy, expand Computer Configuration, expand Windows Settings, and then expand Security Settings.
3. Expand Local Policies, and then click Security Options.
4. In the right pane, double-click Interactive logon: Require smart card.
5. Click Disabled, and then click OK.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.

For additional information about PKI and CRL, see the "Checklist: Deploying smart cards for logging on to Windows" Help topic on the following Microsoft Web site: For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: