Multiple SSL Connections May Cause Error Initializing Security Subsystem

ID: Q192749

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

A failure to initialize the security subsystem can occur when an application such as Microsoft Exchange Server attempts to replicate data over an SSL connection.

CAUSE

Schannel.dll can generate an error when two threads call AcquireCredentialsHandle() at the same time, with the same certificate data.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

NOTE: Depending on whether you are using 40-bit or 128-bit security, one of the two files listed for each platform will be renamed to Schannel.dll.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Additional query words: 4.00

Keywords : NT4SP4Fix kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00.sp4
Version : WinNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug