Application Note Gemalto Access Client for windows smart card and EFS on Microsoft Windows Vista

Application Note

Gemalto Access Client for windows

smart card and

EFS on Microsoft Windows Vista

nicolas.BATAILLE@gemalto.com

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Table of contents

Architecture ...6

Microsoft Encrypted File System ...6

Prerequisite for Gemalto Access Client for Windows Smart card...8

List of figure

Figure 1: General Infrastructure...6

Figure 2: Encryption File System General Properties ...7

Figure 3: Encryption File System Cache Properties...7

Figure 4: User selection ...8

Figure 5: Smart card logon ...8

Figure 6: Advanced attributes ...9

Figure 7: Options window ...9

Figure 8: Smart card usage ...10

Figure 9: User certificate ...10

Figure 10: PIN verification...11

Figure 11: Access denied message box ...11

Overview

In this document we will describe uses cases regarding the Microsoft Encrypted File System on Windows Vista and the Gemalto Access Client smart cards.

Caution: Consequently, this document should not be considered as an instruction manual on how to configure your system.

• Microsoft

o Windows Vista

ƒ You need a computer running Microsoft Vista ƒ A user account who has administration right o Encrypted File System

ƒ The Microsoft EFS provides the core file encryption technology to store Windows NT file system (NTFS) files encrypted on disk.

• Gemalto

o We are going to use the Gemalto Access Client 5.3 CR C middleware. This driver will allow the use of the Gemalto Access Client for Windows smart card on a computer.

The main steps are:

• Certificate installation on the Access Client smart card (not explain in this document)

• Folder creation • Folder encryption Important:

Infrastructure Configuration

Architecture

The general infrastructure needed to accomplish the following tests is the following.

Active

Directory

Certification

Authority

Microsoft Vista

Client on an

NTFS partition

Figure 1: General Infrastructure

Microsoft Encrypted File System

First of all, we should remember that in order to have access to the Encrypted File System, the File System Type must be set as Windows NT File system (NTFS). This is decided when installing the operating system.

To activate the EFS using the Gemalto Access Client smart card, you have to proceed as following:

1. On the Windows Vista Control Panel, select Administrative Tools,

2. Click on Local Security Policy( you have to be member of the Administrator Group), 3. On the Public Key Policies right click on Encrypting File System and select Proprieties, 4. Check Allow on the File encryption using Encryption File System (EFS),

5. Check Require a smart card for EFS on the Option Panel,

6. Uncheck Allow EFS to generate self-signed certificates when a certification authority is

not available.

7. Click on OK.

Figure 2: Encryption File System General Properties

Figure 3:Encryption File System Cache Properties

Prerequisite for Gemalto Access Client for Windows Smart card

Note: The certificate is delivered to the User_EFS user.

The certificate has to have EFS attribute. Please refer to your CA admin guide in order to create the appropriate certificate template.

Because we first use the smart card to logon to the workstation, the certificate has to have also the smart card logon attribute.

In this example we have used a Microsoft CA but any CA compliant with Active Directory technology, can be used.

Gemalto Access Client for Windows smart card use cases

After PC start up press Ctlr-Alt-Del. You might be prompted for the previous user password. If so click on “Switch User” button. The user selector is displayed. Insert the Gemalto Access Client smart card. The smart card user name is now displayed under the smart card Icon. Click on the icon.

Figure 4: User selection

After logon on the workstation using the User_EFS smart card, we create a folder on witch we create a file named User_EFS.

To encrypt the folder and its files, proceed as following:

1. Right click on the User_EFS folder and then click on Properties,

2. Click on Advanced,

3. Check Encrypt contents to secure data and then click on OK twice

Figure 6: Advanced attributes

4. Chose Apply changes to this folder, subfolder and files and then click on OK,

5. Click on Use an existing smart card certificate,

Figure 8: Smart card usage

6. Select the user certificate and then click on OK

7. Enter your PIN code and then click on OK,

Figure 10: PIN verification

8. The User_EFS folder is now encrypted.

The folder is now accessible only for the User_EFS and he have to use his smart card to allow access to the files. If an other user logon to the work station he can’t open the User_EFS encrypted file, even with a user with administration right.

Figure 11: Access denied message box

If the User_EFS don’t have his smart card, he won’t access his encrypted files.