Cannot Import Personal Security Certificates in Internet Explorer (222061)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 95 SP 1
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 98
This article was previously published under Q222061

SYMPTOMS

When you connect to a secure Web site that requires security certificate keys, you may be unable to connect. This occurs because you cannot import the certificate key into the authentication dialog box.

You also may not be able to import and export certificates from this dialog box, because the authentication dialog box becomes blank after a certain number of keys have been entered into the registry. The number of keys varies before displaying this behavior, depending on the key sizes. You may experience this behavior after adding between 12 and 22 keys.

CAUSE

This behavior is caused by a buffer limitation on the amount of certificate data sent to the dialog box.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Internet Explorer service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:
   File name     Size     Date/Time         Platform
   -------------------------------------------------------
   Wininet.dll   371,472  03-08-99 12:51p   Windows NT x86
   Wininet.dll   372,496  03-08-99  1:15p   Windows 95/98)

A change was made to reallocate the buffer space needed to accommodate the number of certificates in the registry before displaying the certificate information in the authentication dialog box.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/7/2006
Keywords:kbQFE KBHotfixServer kbenv kbprb kbui KB222061
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