Logon via smart card using Remote Desktop (RDP) fails with error message "The requested key container does not exist on the smart card."

Author Uwe Gradenegger Posted on Categories Troubleshooting, Smart card Tags Remote Desktop (RDP), YubiKey

Assume the following scenario:

  • A user logs on to a Remote Desktop system using the smart card logon function.
  • The user uses a Yubico Yubikey as a smart card. The required middleware is installed on both the local and the remote system.
  • The logon fails with the following error message:
The system could not log you on. The requested key container does not exist on the smart card.

Cause

Do you know TameMyCerts? TameMyCerts is an add-on for the Microsoft certification authority (Active Directory Certificate Services). It extends the function of the certification authority and enables the application of rule sets to realize the secure automation of certificate issuance. TameMyCerts is unique in the Microsoft ecosystem, has already proven itself in countless companies around the world and is available under a free license. It can be downloaded via GitHub and used free of charge. Professional maintenance is also offered.

The Yubikey middleware is not loaded on the remote system if no Yubikey is connected. The middleware must be installed with the switch INSTALL_LEGACY_NODE.

msiexec /i YubiKey-Minidriver-4.1.0.172-x64.msi INSTALL_LEGACY_NODE=1

To perform an automated installation without user input, but with a progress display:

msiexec /i YubiKey-Minidriver-4.1.0.172-x64.msi INSTALL_LEGACY_NODE=1 /passive

To perform a fully automated installation without visible dialogs:

msiexec /i YubiKey-Minidriver-4.1.0.172-x64.msi INSTALL_LEGACY_NODE=1 /quiet

External sources