ssl_error_handshake_failure_alert in Firefox [SOLVED]

Electronic ID card:  ssl_error_handshake_failure_alert in Firefox [SOLVED]

You have probably reached this webpage because you were looking for information about how to make your electronic ID card work (this post was originally written for the DNI - Spanish ID card) using Firefox browser in Windows and the only thing you get is an error message called:  “Error code ssl_error_handshake_failure_alert” (Click at the pictures to enlarge).

For some reason that you don´t understand the chip of your ID card doesn´t work while trying to do your electronic transaction.

If that's your case, you must know that the problem is probably due to the fact that the user account of the Windows PC you are using for the transaction with your ID card (or similar card) is a STANDARD user account. For that reason you're running Firefox browser with STANDARD privileges when, in fact, the problem is that Firefox browser must be run with ADMINISTRATOR privileges.

Although this could seem something very complex, it has a very easy solution. Follow, STEP BY STEP, my instructions

• Close all the browsers of your PC (Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Safari, etc.)

• Connect the ID card reader to the computer through the USB cable.

• Insert the electronic ID card in the reader (if the card reader has some LED light this will probably turn on or flicker).

• Once you have done the three previous steps, press SIMULTANEOUSLY the Control and Shift keys located at the inferior left part of your keyboard.

 

 

• WHILE KEEPING BOTH KEYS PRESSED, click with the mouse in the Firefox icon.

• In that moment, the USER ACCOUNT CONTROL (UAC) window of Windows OS will pop up  and you´ll be asked to enter the password of the ADMINISTRATOR account of your computer. Type it (if you don´t know this password, ask to the person in charge of computers at your home; he or she will know the password.

• Once you have entered the ADMINISTRATOR password in the UAC window, a new window of Firefox will open with ADMINISTRATOR privileges. Since that moment, the program will gain access to the personal data stored in the chip of your ID card.

 

• For checking that your card is correctly working and the browser is reading the data / information recorded in the chip you can do this: Go to the "Tools" menu of Firefox, then "Options"-> "Advanced", select    "View Certificates" and finally click in "Your certificates" tab.

 

• You should see a screen like the one you can see below with two elements: your name and surname accompanied by the word SIGNATURE ("firma" in Spanish) and another line with your name and surname accompanied by the word AUTHENTICATION
 

• If you can see both lines I have mentioned above, then your ID card is working perfectly and from now on it should work without problems in any governmental or banking webpage where you want to use it. Anyway, remember that you will always need to run your Firefox browser with ADMINISTRATOR privileges everytime you want to do a transaction of this kind with your ID card (pressing Shift + Control  keys while clicking in Firefox icon) 

• Enjoy your certificates and remember that you'll probably need the secret PIN for your transactions too.

• One last thing: if you finally can use your ID card and solve the problem thanks to this post... I will be very grateful if you could leave a comment (please, remember to put your COUNTRY). I think I´m not asking for too much...and it is only for confirming if this post is useful to the people. Thanks in advance.

   

This post was originally written in http://securedcomp.blogspot.com.es