Universal Blue•5mo ago

Using a CaC reader?

I am wondering how can I use my CAC reader on since I am in the military keep getting no client certificate presented

mrvictorywin•8/11/25, 4:28 PM

what

mrvictorywin•8/11/25, 4:28 PM

what is this?

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 4:29 PM

logining into my military things

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 4:29 PM

but keep getting that error

cpseybold•8/11/25, 8:41 PM

Just to bridge the gap here. A CAC card functions as a smart card so it’s probably something with the smart card driver

Zed•8/11/25, 9:50 PM

I'd start with using pcsc_scan to verify the card is being detected.

First, check that pcscd is running:

systemctl status pcscd

If it's running, then run pcsc_scan (you probably need to "dnf install pcsc-tools" first) without the CAC in. Hopefully your reader(s) show up.

Next, insert the card. pcsc_scan should show some output indicating it read the card.

Zed•8/11/25, 9:54 PM

should look something like so

Zed•8/11/25, 9:54 PM

Also: what browser are you using, and how did you install it.

ZZed I'd start with using pcsc_scan to verify the card is being detected. First, che...

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 10:54 PM

Zed•8/11/25, 10:55 PM

sorry, obviously the dnf command wasn't going to work, wasn't tracking where I was talking

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 10:56 PM

eh thats alright

Zed•8/11/25, 10:56 PM

you can install pcsc_scan in a distrobox and run it

Zed•8/11/25, 10:56 PM

That said, if you're using the built-in firefox from flatpak, it's not going to work

Zed•8/11/25, 10:56 PM

https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak/issues/4066

GitHub

Flatpak Apps and SmartCard or Security Device · Issue #4066 · fla...

Linux distribution and version Linux Mint 19.2 Flatpak version Flatpak 1.9.3 Other versions Thunderbird 78.6.1 pcsc-lite version 1.8.23. OpenSC 0.21.0 [gcc 7.5.0] Enabled features: locking zlib rea...

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 10:56 PM

rpm-ostree install pcsc-tools I just did this

Zed•8/11/25, 10:58 PM

The most reliable I've had this working is to (after confirming things are working in pcsc_scan) is to layer/rpm-ostree install chromium or your other preferred chrome based browser.

Zed•8/11/25, 10:58 PM

layered firefox can work but I generally found it less reliable

Zed•8/11/25, 11:00 PM

I basically just keep a separate browser for all my CAC-enabled stuff.

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 11:01 PM

it still does it

Zed•8/11/25, 11:04 PM

pcsc_scan?

Zed•8/11/25, 11:05 PM

Or the browser?

ZZed Or the browser?

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 11:08 PM

browser

Zed•8/11/25, 11:09 PM

Is the scan seeing your reader and card?

Zed•8/11/25, 11:10 PM

That’s the first thing that needs to be working

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 11:10 PM

the pcsc_scan works

Zed•8/11/25, 11:11 PM

K. And you’re using an rpm-ostree installed chromium now?

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 11:13 PM

ok gotta restart the pc now

ZZed K. And you’re using an rpm-ostree installed chromium now?

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 11:18 PM

thank you dude it works

Zed•8/11/25, 11:18 PM

Happy to help

CreeperCrazyOP•8/11/25, 11:19 PM

I will say the restart process on bazzite is weird because I do have to do a complete power off for it to run again

CreeperCrazyOP•8/12/25, 5:30 PM

its doing it again somehow

Zed•8/12/25, 5:32 PM

pcsc_scan is seeing both the reader and the card?

Zed•8/12/25, 5:33 PM

I've seen pcscd crash on occasion, too: systemctl status pcscd, and if it failed, restart it.

CreeperCrazyOP•8/12/25, 9:48 PM

That works but I keep having to uninstall and reinstall chromium everytime it stops working

ZZed I've seen pcscd crash on occasion, too: systemctl status pcscd, and if it failed...

CreeperCrazyOP•8/12/25, 9:49 PM

Like what causes that?

CCreeperCrazy That works but I keep having to uninstall and reinstall chromium everytime it st...

Zed•8/12/25, 10:30 PM

You really shouldn't need to reinstall chromium. At worst quit and reopen it?

ZZed You really shouldn't need to reinstall chromium. At worst quit and reopen it?

CreeperCrazyOP•8/12/25, 10:30 PM

Thats what I kept trying at first

CCreeperCrazy Like what causes that?

Zed•8/12/25, 10:30 PM

No idea. It's been pretty stable on f42 for me, though. 41 was crashy.

Zed•8/12/25, 10:31 PM

I think the reboot is what's changing the state, not the reinstall.

Zed•8/12/25, 10:31 PM

Something that should be fixable without reboots, just gotta find what's going on.

CreeperCrazyOP•8/12/25, 10:31 PM

I have been rebooting

Zed•8/12/25, 10:33 PM

So, just going through the confirmation steps again:

1) pcscd is shown as running
2) pcsc_scan detecting the readers, and once you insert the card, it's detected without errors?

Zed•8/12/25, 10:33 PM

Something to try if the above is good and it's still not working:

ZZed So, just going through the confirmation steps again: 1) pcscd is shown as runni...

CreeperCrazyOP•8/12/25, 10:33 PM

it detects it without error

Zed•8/12/25, 10:34 PM

Quit chromium, remove the card. Restart chromium, insert card, load the page.

If that doesn't work, remove card, quit chromium. Insert card, wait a sec for it to read the card, start chromium, load the page.

Zed•8/12/25, 10:35 PM

These things can just be finicky. :/

CreeperCrazyOP•8/12/25, 10:39 PM

yea still doesn't work smh

Zed•8/12/25, 10:40 PM

I genuinely have no idea why reinstalling chromium would have any effect. It doesn't make sense to me.

I keep edge installed for my cac-enabled stuff. It's mostly microsoft hosted junk anyway :p

Zed•8/12/25, 10:40 PM

Built-in reader? Have a different one to try?

ZZed Built-in reader? Have a different one to try?

CreeperCrazyOP•8/12/25, 10:41 PM

I have one of them plug in ones and I don't have a different one been trying to get my things set up for college

Using a CaC reader?

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