List of use cases for certificates that require specific Cryptographic Service Providers (CSP) or Key Storage Providers (KSP).

Windows Server 2008, along with NSA Suite B algorithms (also known as Cryptography Next Generation, CNG) with Key Storage Providers, introduced a new, modern interface for generating, storing, and using private keys in the Windows ecosystem.

In most cases, it does not matter which CSP or KSP is used for certificates. However, some applications will not work or will not work correctly if the wrong provider is chosen.

Below is a list of use cases I know of for certificates that only work with a specific Cryptographic Service Provider (CSP) or Key Storage Provider (KSP).

Use cases that only accept CSP

Certificate typeSymptom/effect
Network Device Enrollment Service (NDES) Registration Authority CertificatesService does not start because RA certificates are not found (events no. 2 and 10).
Intune Connector for NDES, Client Authentication CertificateC:\NDESConnectorSetupMSI.log will record that the certificate private key permissions cannot be set ("AddNDESToCertPrivKey: Error 0x80090014: CryptAcquireContext failed with bad provider type 0x0").
Active Directory Web Services (ADWS) and thus under certain circumstances Domain controller and Remote Desktop alsoEvent #1402 of the source ADWS is logged. The debug log is entered: "ProvisionCertificate: caught a CryptographicException: System.Security.Cryptography.CryptographicException: Invalid provider type specified.".
The certificate selection already terminates if only one of the certificates in the machine certificate store does not use a CSP, even if this would not be usable for the ADWS at all.
Exchange 2013 Forms-based Authentication (FBA)
Exchange 2016 (up to CU3) Forms-based Authentication (FBA)
After logging in to the FBA, you will be taken back to the login page.
Certificate import can fail with error code NTE_BAD_DATA fail.
Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) / Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM)
Certificate Managemt (CM) Agent
Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) / Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM)
Certificate Managemt (CM) Admin Key Diversify
Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) / Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM)
Certificate Managemt (CM) Key Recovery Agent
Microsoft SQL ServerThe RSA SChannel Cryptographic Provider is recommended

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Details: Intune Connector for NDES

If a certificate based on a Key Storage Provider (KSP) is used, this is manifested by the setup aborting with a meaningless error message.

Microsoft Intune Connector Setup Wizard ended prematurely because of an error. Your system has not been modified. To install this program at a later time, run Setup Wizard again. Click the Finish button to exit the Setup Wizard.

The log file C:\NDESConnectorSetupMSI.log will record that the permissions on the certificate private key cannot be set.

AddNDESToCertPrivKey: Error 0x80090014: CryptAcquireContext failed with bad provider type 0x0

The problem can be solved by using a certificate template with Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP compatibility. This uses a Cryptographic Service Provider (CSP) to generate the key pair.

Use cases that only accept KSP

Certificate typeImpact
Microsoft Online Responder (OCSP) signing certificateNot configurable.

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External sources

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