Unable to acquire a cryptographic context

Question

I downloaded and installed the latest DLL ver 7.1.0.20 and this site work previously now I get this error:

Unable to acquire a cryptographic context. Here is the Debug Log.

DEBUG [FTPLocalFileList] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:58.906 : Adding event-handlers to ?.FTPLocalFileList for connection 2
DEBUG [FTPConnection] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:58.921 : Set LocalDirectory='xx'
DEBUG [FTPRemoteFileList] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:58.984 : Adding event-handlers to ?.FTPRemoteFileList for connection 2
DEBUG [FTPStatusBar] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.000 : Adding event-handlers to ?.FTPStatusBar for connection 2
DEBUG [ExFTPConnection] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.000 : Loading properties from C:\Program Files\FTPMonitorAdmin\ftptempload.ftp
DEBUG [ExFTPConnection] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.000 : Loading properties from input-stream
DEBUG [ExFTPConnection] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.000 : Parsing properties
DEBUG [FTPConnection] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.015 : Set LocalDirectory='xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
DEBUG [SecureFTPConnection] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.453 : Setting transfer limit of -1 bytes/sec
DEBUG [ExFTPClient] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.453 : No limit now set on transfers
DEBUG [SSHFTPClient] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.453 : No limit now set on transfers
DEBUG [HTTPClient] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.453 : No limit now set on transfers
DEBUG [SFTPMessageStore] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.453 : Set timeout=120000
DEBUG [SecureFTPConnection] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.453 : Setting useUnencryptedCommands=False
DEBUG [SSLFTPCertificate] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.453 : Attempt to load file in PEM format was unsuccessful: C:\PGPKeys\sftptsmk.pfx
DEBUG [SSLFTPCertificate] 13 Aug 2010 09:54:59.453 : Attempt to load file in CER format was unsuccessful: C:\PGPKeys\sftptsmk.pfx
INFO [LicenseProperties] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.156 : Licence expiry date: 12/31/9999
INFO [LicenseProperties] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.156 : Production license
INFO [LicenseProperties] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.171 : Licence expiry date: 12/31/9999
INFO [LicenseProperties] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.171 : Production license
DEBUG [SSLFTPClient] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.171 : Connecting to 140.241.102.9:20121
DEBUG [SSLFTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.171 : waitOnShutdownSSL=True
DEBUG [HostNameResolver] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.171 : Resolving 140.241.102.9
DEBUG [HostNameResolver] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.171 : 140.241.102.9 resolved to 140.241.102.9
DEBUG [ExFTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.171 : Connecting directly to ftp-server 140.241.102.9:20121
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.218 : Setting socket timeout=120000
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.218 : Command encoding=System.Text.ASCIIEncoding
DEBUG [ExFTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.218 : Created control-socket: SocksContext=, ProxySettings=NoProxy, RemoteHost=140.241.102.9, controlPort=20121, timeout=120000
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.218 : StrictReturnCodes=False
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-SFTPD1 IBM FTP CS V1R10 at BSTNJES.cityhall.boston.cob, 14:50:19 on 2010-08-13.
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- ____ ___ _______ __ ___ _____ ____ ___ ____ _____ ___ _ _
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- / ___|_ _|_ _\ \ / / / _ \| ___| | __ ) / _ \/ ___|_ _/ _ \| \ | |
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- | | | | | | \ V / | | | | |_ | _ \| | | \___ \ | || | | | \| |
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- | |___ | | | | | | | |_| | _| | |_) | |_| |___) || || |_| | |\ |
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- \____|___| |_| |_| \___/|_| |____/ \___/|____/ |_| \___/|_| \_|
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- ____ _____ ____ _ _ ____ _____
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- / ___|| ____/ ___| | | | _ \| ____|
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- \___ \| _|| | | | | | |_) | _|
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- ___) | |__| |___| |_| | _ <| |___
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- |____/|_____\____|\___/|_| \_\_____|
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- _____ _____ ____ ____ _____ ______ _____ ____ _____ ____
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- | ___|_ _| _ \ / ___|| ____| _ \ \ / /_ _/ ___| ____/ ___|
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- | |_ | | | |_) | \___ \| _| | |_) \ \ / / | | | | _| \___ \
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- | _| | | | __/ ___) | |___| _ < \ V / | | |___| |___ ___) |
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220- |_| |_| |_| |____/|_____|_| \_\ \_/ |___\____|_____|____/
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-; ......... Welcome to the CITY of BOSTON SECURE SFTP/SSL site .........
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-;
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-; This site uses the Explicit SSL/TLS authentication. We are expecting
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-; both password and keyring authentification using z/OS system SSL and
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.406 : 220-; RACF services. Our server must be a trusted authority to the client.
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.453 : 220-; We are using TLS Protocol version 3.
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.453 : 220-;
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.453 : 220 Connection will close if idle for more than 2 minutes.
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:00.453 : ---> AUTH TLS
DEBUG [FTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:03.562 : 234 Security environment established - ready for negotiation
DEBUG [SSLFTPControlSocket] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:03.562 : Beginning Ssl3, Tls1 handshake.
DEBUG [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.187 : Processing hello
ERROR [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.890 : OnReceive - caught exception - closing
ERROR [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.890 : System.Security.Cryptography.CryptographicException: Unable to acquire a cryptographic context.
ERROR [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.890 : at K3PF7pVkUjMVSVbm9G8.iGWPLwVeKqRKAiEoFVX.rjuVakhEY(dcX1mF3cp0R5ZBwIYY , Byte[] , Byte[] )
ERROR [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.890 : at K3PF7pVkUjMVSVbm9G8.iGWPLwVeKqRKAiEoFVX.ntnBPBmxl(dcX1mF3cp0R5ZBwIYY , Byte[] )
ERROR [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.890 : at 0jdNlcVvUxMEGME52ln.TEYevwVoXDwoblmoJEo.rjuVakhEY(fMLXvZVOFUEMiSXZyCY )
ERROR [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.890 : at 0jdNlcVvUxMEGME52ln.TEYevwVoXDwoblmoJEo.ProcessMessage(fMLXvZVOFUEMiSXZyCY )
ERROR [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.890 : at qpixG0VABRrVjoFRJNn.RPwpKLVYXRsuSBiggJI.ntnBPBmxl(fZMc7srMYEm5aUKaAgM )
ERROR [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.890 : at 94mIcTrrdO2xlCJgKCN.ErHIfJrVcLjodk470HE.LDqs27n6f(Byte[] , Int32 , Int32 )
ERROR [SocketController] 13 Aug 2010 09:55:14.890 : at JkwckgV11S5ygb63g2I.uYMLfQV9IPiWWObbMV0.nuCrPcbDH(Byte[] , Int32 , Int32 )
ERROR

Answer 1

Ok, we will spend a bit of time trying to replicate this error. It's wasting too much time doing it this way - was hoping for a quick and easy fix. Will get back to you asap.

Answer 2

No problem. Let me know if you need me to provide any more information.

Thanks again.

Answer 3

Ok, we've determined that the most likely cause of this problem is that the user that you are running with does not have permissions to access the key store.

It seems that it can be resolved by deleting the key stores for the user. You need to remove the directories below this directory for the user running the application:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA

I would simply rename the directories as xxx.old rather than deleting them - then it is easy to go back.

You may also need to do the same to the All Users RSA directory. This could be in C:\Documents and Settings of course for XP.

Please go back to your original DLL (not the patches you've downloaded) and try this.

Answer 4

Thanks that worked. Can you explain why this would be a problem. The PC I've been testing on is mine and I'm the only one who uses it. Plus I've always had administrator rights on the PC.

Thanks again for all of your effort!