Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Smartcard reader for the Mac Pro?
- Thread starter nemloc
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I -think- USB smartcard readers would work fine. My smartcard reader is imbedded in my monitor, and I didn't need to install additional drivers to get it working.
--Erwin
99% of the time, any USB device will work on a Mac, even if it doesn't say so, because the components to make it are either included in the Mac itself, or in other devices that do claim Mac compatibly. As a result, your card reader should be fine.
TEG
TEG
Don't be dense. You never have to reboot for installing USB devices on Windows. They've always been p&p.
--Erwin
I can confirm that a USB Activcard CAC/smartcard reader will work as I just set one up 3 days ago on my MacBook at work for DoD use. If it'll work with the MB, it will work with a MP. BTW, i did need a windows box to update the firmware on the card reader, but it was very simple. The MB just recognized it and I started using it.
Our CSA's say they dont work with mac. I would love to know how you got it to work.
So what are you using for middleware? I can't seem to get my CAC working in OS X. I use it in XP with VMWare, but it would be even better to be able to use it right in OS X.
You don't need middleware for it to work with a MAC, at least with the ActivCard I am using. I used a windows box to upgrade the firmware. Then I plugged it into my mac, put my CAC card in and was on DoD website once I added the certificates. It is working good, though I wish Safari was better! Note: I am using OSX 10.5.2 and a USB ActivCard reader.
http://stinet.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTR...c=GetTRDoc.pdf
checkout this link and pay special attention to the links the author references at the end. There is a link to a guy that has the firmware update for the ActivCard reader I am using. It works with apple mail, entourage, and with Safari. I use it to input data at a DoD website, and it is clunky with Safari, because they us IE standards, but I am getting by now.
http://stinet.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTR...c=GetTRDoc.pdf
checkout this link and pay special attention to the links the author references at the end. There is a link to a guy that has the firmware update for the ActivCard reader I am using. It works with apple mail, entourage, and with Safari. I use it to input data at a DoD website, and it is clunky with Safari, because they us IE standards, but I am getting by now.
My earlier link worked at work because I had my CAC in!!!
OK:
Here is the firmware flashing download! It was hard to find, but the google "gods" smiled on me
http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/...tefn=TKSite.7.xml&aff=consumer&cty=US&lang=en
Edit: Follow link to SmartCards/Drivers/FirmwareFlashing and you will find the firmware. A direct link to it would not work.
And here is one link that will help:
http://www.army.mil/ako/info/guides/CACconfig/setup/index.html
And another!!!
http://caconmac.openboxconcepts.com/node/1
Notice the directions for firmware updating requires windows, I think there is actually an updated firmware somewhere to do it from linux and MAC.
Good luck and hope this helps!
OK:
Here is the firmware flashing download! It was hard to find, but the google "gods" smiled on me
http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/...tefn=TKSite.7.xml&aff=consumer&cty=US&lang=en
Edit: Follow link to SmartCards/Drivers/FirmwareFlashing and you will find the firmware. A direct link to it would not work.
And here is one link that will help:
http://www.army.mil/ako/info/guides/CACconfig/setup/index.html
And another!!!
http://caconmac.openboxconcepts.com/node/1
Notice the directions for firmware updating requires windows, I think there is actually an updated firmware somewhere to do it from linux and MAC.
Good luck and hope this helps!
JollyRogers,
Awesome - it worked. Thanks for the links. I think I was getting all wrapped around the axle thinking I needed ActivCard Gold and Tumbleweed and all that other crap that you need with Windows.
Apparently, Keychain does all that and a bag of chips.
Awesome - it worked. Thanks for the links. I think I was getting all wrapped around the axle thinking I needed ActivCard Gold and Tumbleweed and all that other crap that you need with Windows.
Apparently, Keychain does all that and a bag of chips.
JollyRogers,
Awesome - it worked. Thanks for the links. I think I was getting all wrapped around the axle thinking I needed ActivCard Gold and Tumbleweed and all that other crap that you need with Windows.
Apparently, Keychain does all that and a bag of chips.
Glad it helped
Maybe this thread will help more...Q's about VM fusion & flashing the cac reader
So glad I found this thread, seems like you guys have done what I am trying to do... I want to use my DOD CAC card with my ActivCard reader on my imac.
1. I have an imac with VMFusion running XP. It recognizes there is a USB card reader, but acts as if the drivers are not installed. Won't recognize there is a card in the reader, shows up in the Device Manager as an "other device" with a yellow explaination point. Right clicking on update driver to find one or install one from the csmmicro site doesn't work.
If anyone knows how to fix this I would like to use VMFusion b/c the card reader is my companies and not sure I could flash the firmware.
2. About flashing the firmware... can I get it back to what it is now?
3.I also use the card reader with my PC when I travel and think if I changed the firmware I would not be able to use it with my PC and imac. Is this true?
Thanks so much for your time.
So glad I found this thread, seems like you guys have done what I am trying to do... I want to use my DOD CAC card with my ActivCard reader on my imac.
1. I have an imac with VMFusion running XP. It recognizes there is a USB card reader, but acts as if the drivers are not installed. Won't recognize there is a card in the reader, shows up in the Device Manager as an "other device" with a yellow explaination point. Right clicking on update driver to find one or install one from the csmmicro site doesn't work.
If anyone knows how to fix this I would like to use VMFusion b/c the card reader is my companies and not sure I could flash the firmware.
2. About flashing the firmware... can I get it back to what it is now?
3.I also use the card reader with my PC when I travel and think if I changed the firmware I would not be able to use it with my PC and imac. Is this true?
Thanks so much for your time.
It is highly unlikely you would be able to downgrade the flash back to what it is now. However, you shouldn't need to downgrade it. The new flash is an update that adds Mac compatibility in addition to Windows compatibility. It should work on both after the flash. Be aware that I haven't tested this myself.
Flashed Reader
The flashed reader should work on both the Mac and the PC. The Mac will recognize it automagically. I remember reading somewhere that the PC will require updated drivers once it has been flashed. You can download the drivers from the SCMicro website here: http://www.scmmicro.com/support/pcs_downloads.php?lang=en
There is also a lot of good information on the Apple Fed mailing list:
http://lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/fed-talk
Also there are known issues in Leopard with certain manufacturers smart cards. Oberthur being one of them. Thursby software put a work around in the AdmitMac For CAC software they wrote. I think they also submitted a bug to Apple and it may be addressed in 10.5.3
The flashed reader should work on both the Mac and the PC. The Mac will recognize it automagically. I remember reading somewhere that the PC will require updated drivers once it has been flashed. You can download the drivers from the SCMicro website here: http://www.scmmicro.com/support/pcs_downloads.php?lang=en
There is also a lot of good information on the Apple Fed mailing list:
http://lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/fed-talk
Also there are known issues in Leopard with certain manufacturers smart cards. Oberthur being one of them. Thursby software put a work around in the AdmitMac For CAC software they wrote. I think they also submitted a bug to Apple and it may be addressed in 10.5.3
I updated to 10.5.3 and now Safari is not leveraging off of keychains and hence is not asking for my CAC card PIN. So now it is broke
Apparently I am not the only one with this problem... thanks apple for the regression.
If anyone has any ideas please let me know!
Apparently I am not the only one with this problem... thanks apple for the regression.
If anyone has any ideas please let me know!
10.5.4 update
FYI: Thought I would bump this thread for those that use a smartcard reader.
Just updated to 10.5.4 and my CAC card, via Activcard smartcard reader, is now working with Safari with ZERO problems.
fixed something for me for a change
FYI: Thought I would bump this thread for those that use a smartcard reader.
Just updated to 10.5.4 and my CAC card, via Activcard smartcard reader, is now working with Safari with ZERO problems.
fixed something for me for a changeFYI: Thought I would bump this thread for those that use a smartcard reader.
Just updated to 10.5.4 and my CAC card, via Activcard smartcard reader, is now working with Safari with ZERO problems.
Did you change anything? What certificates did you add? I still don't have X509Certificates in my keychain. Which model reader do you have? I have the SCR331. Thanks
I set this up when I was running 10.5.2 on my MacBook for work and 10.5.3 broke it, updating to 10.5.4 and it is now working for me. I am using an ActivCard USB reader that I flashed to allow use with MACs (I link this earlier in thread). I use it with a DoD CAC card and when I plug the USB reader in it goes steady green and then when I insert my CAC into the reader it starts blinking. I open keychain utility and I see my certificate there. I went to a DoD site and downloaded their certificates and added them into my keychain (google this as I honestly forget how I did it). Then I open Safari and when I go to the DoD I need access to, it pops up a window asking for my PIN. I put it in and presto, I get into the site...
It does not work for Firefox, I tried the DoD CAC card add-on 0.9 and it just causes my Firefox browser to crash.
Just bought my first Apple computer - MacBook Air - nice machine. I have a question on this thread though. I have a CAC card reader that is working - when I go into my Keychain I can see my certs on my CAC card. I am not sure, however, how to import them into my safari browser - can anyone help?
Thanks,
DL
Thanks,
DL
My CAC card is version 5.22. When I open Keychain, only X509Anchors is listed and SystemCACCertificates. There is NO X509Certificates.
Still doesn't work for me. I get this message instead of a box asking for my PIN:
Any suggestions?
