Windows 10: Windows security asking for a smart card

Good morning everyone,


I have to occasionally use a smart card reader to access work-related websites. I have the issue where windows gives me 3-5 popups whenever I start my computer asking for a smart card. It will also occasionally ask for a smart card when I attempt to log into some websites which is irritating, but I can manage that. Is this some sort of certificate issue, or perhaps a driver issue?


Thank you in advance for your attention.

:)

 

Windows Security Smart Card popup

Hi Hoarder,

Disable Smart Card Plug and Play Service

Step 1

Hold down the "Windows" key and press "R" to open the Run dialog. Type "gpedit.msc" at the prompt and press "Enter" to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

Step 2

Expand "Computer Configuration," "Administrative Templates" and "Windows Components" in the tree browser. Double-click the "Smart Card" folder in the main window.

Step 3

Right-click "Turn On Smart Card Plug and Play Service" and select "Edit." In the Properties dialog, select "Disabled" to turn off this service and remove the smart card option from the login screen. Click "Apply" and "OK" to save your changes.

Step 4

Close Local Group Policy Editor and restart Windows to finalize the changes.

Let me know if this will work.

Thanks and regards,

 

Excel asking for a Smart Card but no reader ever installed


When Excel is asked to:
Open a spreadsheet containing unsigned macros, AND
Excel's macro security is set to "Disable all macros except digitally signed macros"
I get a "Connect a smart card" message. The message says it is from "Windows Security" (See attachment.)

I just installed Windows 10 on this machine and there has NEVER been a smart card reader connected to this machine.
I have used services.msc to disable all 3 smart card services and that did not help.
If I click "Cancel" the spreadsheet comes up with macros disabled as it should.

How can I stop Excel/Windows from giving me the Smart Card message.

Many thanks for any help.

(I recently posted a similar question which was resolved but this is a slightly different smart card related problem.)

 

Windows Security is no longer recognizing my CAC reader (Smart Card reader)

Windows Security seems to have randomly stopped recognizing my CAC reader, this happened early September.

Typically whenever I access a website that needs my CAC (email, DTS, etc), it prompts me to select my name from a list of credentials, which I do. Then a box pops up from Windows Security asking me to select a smart card device, I click the only option
and proceed and that's about it.

Now, though, when windows security prompts me to select a smart card device, there is no option. Instead, it simply says "connect a smart card."

I have tried with three different smart cards, all of which operate on other computers, none on mine. Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media as well as the Device Manager both recognize the CAC reader when plugged in. I've uninstalled the device from device
manager, reinstalled it and also updated the driver from the product's website.

To me, it seems that the computer is still recognizing the reader and the software is there - but Windows Security is somehow blocking the system from accessing/recognizing/allowing the reader.

Any suggestions?

I'm running Windows 10 and the CAC reader is ActivIdentity's USB Reader v3.0, P/N: ZFG-9820GAC