Details of the event with ID 29 of the source Microsoft-Windows-NetworkDeviceEnrollmentService

Event Source:	Microsoft-Windows-NetworkDeviceEnrollmentService
Event ID:	29 (0x1D)
Event log:	Application
Event type:	Error
Symbolic Name:	EVENT_MSCEP_INVALID_PASSWORD
Event text (English):	The password in the certificate request cannot be verified. It may have been used already. Obtain a new password to submit with this request.
Event text (German):	The password in the certificate request could not be verified. It may already be in use. Set a new password to submit with this request.

The Network Device Enrollment Service (NDES) provides a way for devices that do not have an identifier in Active Directory (for example, network devices such as routers, switches, printers, thin clients, or smartphones and tablets) to request certificates from a certification authority. For a more detailed description, see the article "Network Device Enrollment Service (NDES) Basics„.

Example events

The password in the certificate request cannot be verified. It may have been used already. Obtain a new password to submit with this request.

Description

Cause incorrect one-time password

Occurs when NDES has been configured to use a static password, and the password is incorrect.

Please note that the one-time password must be requested from the same NDES server to which the certificate request is subsequently sent.

Cause incorrect or already used one-time password

Occurs when NDES has been configured with changing passwords and the password is either incorrect or has been used before. See also Event no. 43.

Cause incorrect coding of the one-time password

Occurs when the one-time password included in the certificate request is incorrectly encoded. NDES expects the encoding of the one-time password in ASN.1 PrintableString. OpenSSL (used by SSCEP) encodes in UTF-8 by default, which is not understood by NDES for the "challenge password" attribute and is rejected accordingly.

Safety assessment

The security assessment is based on the three dimensions of confidentiality, integrity and availability.

If the event occurs individually, this is usually unproblematic. If the event occurs more than once, an alert should be considered, as an attack attempt may be present.

Related links:

• Overview of Windows events generated by the Network Device Enrollment Service (NDES).
• Configuring the Network Device Enrollment Service (NDES) to work with a static password.

External sources

• Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS): Network Device Enrollment Service (NDES) (Microsoft)