A smartcard application cannot read information from some smartcards on a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008

On a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, you use an application together with a smartcard reader to read information from smartcards. However, the application cannot retrieve information from the smartcards. When this issue occurs, the application does not work correctly. Additionally, the application may stop responding. For example, you may encounter this issue when you use ActivClient.

This issue occurs because the smartcards return more information to the smartcard application than the smartcard application expects.Typically, a smartcard application calls the SCardTransmit function to send a service request to a smartcard. Then, the smartcard application expects to receive data back from the smartcard. As defined in the Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU) protocol, a Le field is set to indicate the maximum number of data bytes for the response that is returned from the smartcard. However, some smartcards ignore this field. In this situation, the smartcard returns more data than the smartcard application expects. In this situation, the Usbccid.sys driver returns a STATUS_DEVICE_PROTOCOL_ERROR error. This causes the smartcard application not to be able to retrieve information from these smartcards.

To resolve this issue, install this hotfix. After you install this hotfix, a larger buffer is allocated for the smartcard application. When the smartcard application calls the SCardTransmit function, the application can read all the information from the smartcards.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must be running Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or Windows Server 2008 SP2 on the computer. For more information about how to obtain a Windows Vista service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 file information notes

Important Windows Vista hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows Vista" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows Vista" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

• The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.

  Version	Product	SR_Level	Service branch
  6.0.600 2 . 22xxx	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	SP2	LDR

• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista" section. MUM files and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are very important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information about SCardTransmit Function, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) website:
General information about SCardTransmit Function For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008