Administration

Table Of Contents
Using Smart Card Authentication
You can configure a View Connection Server instance or security server so that users and administrators can
authenticate by using smart cards.
A smart card is a small plastic card that contains a computer chip. The chip, which is like a miniature
computer, includes secure storage for data, including private keys and public key certificates. One type of
smart card used by the United States Department of Defense is called a Common Access Card (CAC).
With smart card authentication, a user or administrator inserts a smart card into a smart card reader
attached to the client computer and enters a PIN. Smart card authentication provides two-factor
authentication by verifying both what the person has (the smart card) and what the person knows (the PIN).
See the View Installation document for information about hardware and software requirements for
implementing smart card authentication. The Microsoft TechNet Web site includes detailed information on
planning and implementing smart card authentication for Windows systems.
To use smart cards, client machines must have smart card middleware and a smart card reader. To install
certificates on smart cards, you must set up a computer to act as an enrollment station. For information
about whether a particular type of Horizon Client supports smart cards, see the Horizon Client
documentation at https://www.vmware.com/support/viewclients/doc/viewclients_pubs.html.
Logging In with a Smart Card
When a user or administrator inserts a smart card into a smart card reader, the user certificates on the smart
card are copied to the local certificate store on the client system if the client operating system is Windows.
The certificates in the local certificate store are available to all of the applications running on the client
computer, including Horizon Client.
When a user or administrator initiates a connection to a View Connection Server instance or security server
that is configured for smart card authentication, the View Connection Server instance or security server
sends a list of trusted certificate authorities (CAs) to the client system. The client system checks the list of
trusted CAs against the available user certificates, selects a suitable certificate, and then prompts the user or
administrator to enter a smart card PIN. If there are multiple valid user certificates, the client system
prompts the user or administrator to select a certificate.
The client system sends the user certificate to the View Connection Server instance or security server, which
verifies the certificate by checking the certificate trust and validity period. Typically, users and
administrators can successfully authenticate if their user certificate is signed and valid. If certificate
revocation checking is configured, users or administrators who have revoked user certificates are prevented
from authenticating.
Display protocol switching is not supported with smart card authentication in Horizon Client. To change
display protocols after authenticating with a smart card in Horizon Client, a user must log off and log on
again.
Chapter 3 Setting Up Authentication
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