Cannot update firmware on Nitrokey start - no backend was found to use for communication

Nitrokeys
1

On GNU/Linux, I have

$ nitropy start list
Command line tool to interact with Nitrokey devices 0.4.50
:: 'Nitrokey Start' keys:
Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.

If I try to update:

nitropy start update
Command line tool to interact with Nitrokey devices 0.4.50
Nitrokey Start firmware update tool
Platform: Linux-6.10.7-gnu-x86_64-with-glibc2.35
System: Linux, is_linux: True
Python: 3.10.7
Saving run log to: /tmp/nitropy.log.ntxbciy8
Admin PIN: 
Firmware data to be used:
- FirmwareType.REGNUAL: 4408, hash: ...b'72a30389' valid (from ...built/RTM.13/regnual.bin)
- FirmwareType.GNUK: 129024, hash: ...b'25a4289b' valid (from ...prebuilt/RTM.13/gnuk.bin)
Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.
Cannot identify device
initial device strings: []
Please note:
- Latest firmware available is: 
  RTM.13 (published: 2022-12-08T10:59:11Z)
- provided firmware: None
- all data will be removed from the device!
- do not interrupt update process - the device may not run properly!
- the process should not take more than 1 minute
Do you want to continue? [yes/no]: yes
.Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.
.Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.
.Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.
Starting bootloader upload procedure
error while running update
	Exception encountered: NoBackendError('No backend available')
.Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.
.Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.
.Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.

Starting bootloader upload procedure
error while running update
	Exception encountered: NoBackendError('No backend available')
.Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.
.Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.
.Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.

Starting bootloader upload procedure
error while running update
	Exception encountered: NoBackendError('No backend available')
Critical error:

Could not proceed with the update
Please execute one or all of the following and try again:
- re-insert device to the USB slot
- run factory-reset on the device
- close other applications, which could use it (e.g., scdaemon, pcscd)
Warning: no backend was found to use for communication. Please refer to documentation how to install additional libraries.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Critical error occurred, exiting now
Unexpected? Is this a bug? Would you like to get support/help?
- You can report issues at: https://support.nitrokey.com/
- Writing an e-mail to support@nitrokey.com is also possible
- Please attach the log: '/tmp/nitropy.log.ntxbciy8' with any support/help request!
- Please check if you have udev rules installed: https://docs.nitrokey.com/nitrokey3/linux/firmware-update.html#troubleshooting

I don’t know what this missing backend for communication is and how to install it.

2

Seems like the update could not start because the Nitrokey was either not put into bootloader mode or the udev rules are not in place and it does not get detected.

Does your Nitrokey still work? Do you need a specific feature of a newer firmware version?

I updated several non-Nitrokey gnuk token and always found it a bit error prone and ended up flashing it with a hardware flasher.

I would also recommend to use a Linux like Ubuntu or Debian for updates to use a more common setup and eliminate variations that could affect the update.

Usually there is no need to update the token.

3

Thanks for your reply. I have the udev rules in place (and updating firmware on nitrokey 3A with the flatpak app worked on the same computer).

I don’t know, I never really used it. I thought it was recommended to do a firmware upgrade first, but if that is not needed, I’ll try using it directly.

Would that work with bullseye? All bookworm installers install non-free firmware and I don’t want that. If that should work will bullseye, I could install it on a USB key just for doing a firmware update, if needed. But if it is not needed to update firmware, it is fine, I’ll just use the key as it is.

4

Nitrokey 3 included a lot of feature updates and the product got more useable over time.

For the Nitrokey Start, I would stick with the firmware if there is no vulnerability to patch or you have a feature you need.

Nevertheless, the updates should be tested by Nitrokey or the community and safe to perform and be part of normal use of the device.

So performing updates should be possible.