TechTips - How to Make Your CAC Card Certificates Available to Windows Using ActivClient Software

A lot of businesses now have a common access card system for employees to access computer systems; this is becoming more and more common throughout big businesses. Having a CAC card good because now the user doesn't just have a username and password to remember to get on the network they also have a card they have to physically have in hand to access the computer system. Well when using a CAC card and ActivClient software (one of the most common software products used with CAC cards) you have to allow the "stuff" on the card to be accessed by Windows. This guide will explain how to make your certificates that are stored on the CAC card accessible to Windows and what it means.

So when you get a CAC card, you have to go to person who takes all of your information and puts it on the CAC card so that the card is associated with you. Not only does the card have all of your employee information on it, it also stores something called certificates on it, these can be used for many different things, but mostly security and encryption. These certificates are specific to you, your user ID and your CAC card, well Windows doesn't know this until you have made the info available to it. So you have to make sure when you get a CAC or a replacement CAC you make sure that Windows knows the info from the card. It's a simple process and with the ActivClient software its very easy for anyone to do.

Click Start

Click Programs

Click Active Identity Folder

Click ActivClient Folder

Click User Console

Right Click on My Certificates Folder

Click Make Certificates Available to Windows

You will get a prompt that says something about these certificates (they will be listed and will vary depending on what certificates are on your card) being made available to Windows. Now any program that uses certificates knows where to look for your certificates and you shouldn't get any errors about the program not knowing you or trusting your certificates. These certificates are now available to Windows and all the programs that access certificates for identification purposes will see your certificates and know who you are.

That is all there is to it now you shouldn't be challenged any longer by any program that might rely on certificates to verify your identity the program can look at the certificates for your user account and will check them against your CAC card and will trust that you are who you say you are.

Well I hope this guide helps you to make your certificates available to Windows and solve any and all errors you might have been getting about certificates.