# NitroKey 3 mini cannot unblock PGP User PIN **URL:** https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821 **Category:** Pro/Start/Storage (OpenPGP Card) **Created:** [January 8, 2024, 8:15pm UTC](https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821 "2024-01-08T20:15:45Z") **Posts on this page:** 8 **Page:** 1
### Author: ![dangowrt](https://support.nitrokey.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dangowrt](https://support.nitrokey.com/u/dangowrt) #### Post date: [January 8, 2024, 8:15pm UTC](https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821/1 "2024-01-08T20:15:45Z")
I recently run into a problem with my NitroKey 3 mini: It no longer accepted the User PIN used for the OpenPGP application. I tried with the correct PIN 3 times and ended up with the User PIN being blocked. So far, so strange. ```auto PIN retry counter : 0 3 3 ``` Now, trying to unblock the PIN I don’t succeed, despite being able to verify that the Admin PIN is correct (and no Reset Code being set). It does ask me the Admin PIN, the LED on the nk3 briefly goes on and off after that, then it asks the to-be-set new User PIN, however: ```auto gpg/card> passwd gpg: OpenPGP card no. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX detected 1 - change PIN 2 - unblock PIN 3 - change Admin PIN 4 - set the Reset Code Q - quit Your selection? 2 Error unblocking the PIN: Card error ``` Does anyone have any idea what the cause could be? Edit: Just in case you were wondering: - Changing the Admin PIN works just fine. - Trying to set a Reset Code using the Admin PIN fails just like the above with `Card error`. ---
### Author: ![sosthene-nitrokey](https://support.nitrokey.com/user_avatar/support.nitrokey.com/sosthene-nitrokey/32/1374_2.png) [@sosthene-nitrokey](https://support.nitrokey.com/u/sosthene-nitrokey) #### Post date: [January 9, 2024, 8:31am UTC](https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821/2 "2024-01-09T08:31:39Z")
Hi, I am trying to reproduce the error. Can you give me following additional information? - Firmware version and status, obtained via `nitropy nk3 status`. You can omit the UUID line. - Have you ever installed an `alpha` or `test` release? If you have installed the latest release, have you enabled the unstable SE050 feature? Best, Sosthène ---
### Author: ![dangowrt](https://support.nitrokey.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dangowrt](https://support.nitrokey.com/u/dangowrt) #### Post date: [January 9, 2024, 11:32am UTC](https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821/3 "2024-01-09T11:32:30Z")
I’ve never used testing or alpha firmware. When the problem occurred I had nk3 firmware v1.5.0 installed, I then updated to v1.6.0 in the hope that this could resolve the problem, but it didn’t. I didn’t enable SE050 feature (or at least I’m not aware of that and haven’t done anything to enable it). Find all relevant version information below: ```sh $ nitropy nk3 status Command line tool to interact with Nitrokey devices 0.4.44 UUID: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX0000000000000000 Firmware version: v1.6.0 Init status: ok Free blocks (int): 235 Free blocks (ext): 471 Variant: NRF52 ``` ```sh $ pcscd --version pcsc-lite version 2.0.1. Copyright (C) 1999-2002 by David Corcoran . Copyright (C) 2001-2022 by Ludovic Rousseau . Copyright (C) 2003-2004 by Damien Sauveron . Report bugs to . Enabled features: Linux x86_64-pc-linux-gnu libsystemd serial usb libudev polkit usbdropdir=/usr/lib/pcsc/drivers ipcdir=/run/pcscd filter configdir=/etc/reader.conf.d MAX_READERNAME: 128, PCSCLITE_MAX_READERS_CONTEXTS: 16 ``` ```sh $ gpg --version gpg (GnuPG) 2.4.3 libgcrypt 1.10.3-unknown Copyright (C) 2023 g10 Code GmbH License GNU GPL-3.0-or-later This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Home: /home/daniel/.gnupg Supported algorithms: Pubkey: RSA, ELG, DSA, ECDH, ECDSA, EDDSA Cipher: IDEA, 3DES, CAST5, BLOWFISH, AES, AES192, AES256, TWOFISH, CAMELLIA128, CAMELLIA192, CAMELLIA256 Hash: SHA1, RIPEMD160, SHA256, SHA384, SHA512, SHA224 Compression: Uncompressed, ZIP, ZLIB, BZIP2 ``` ```sh $ /usr/lib/gnupg/scdaemon --version scdaemon (GnuPG) 2.4.3 libgcrypt 1.10.3-unknown libksba 1.6.5 Copyright (C) 2023 g10 Code GmbH License GNU GPL-3.0-or-later This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. ``` ---
### Author: ![ulrich](https://support.nitrokey.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@ulrich](https://support.nitrokey.com/u/ulrich) #### Post date: [January 18, 2024, 6:36am UTC](https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821/4 "2024-01-18T06:36:32Z")
Hi there, I broke my nitrokey3c nfc. The output pkcs15-tool --list-pin | grep left Using reader with a card: Nitrokey Nitrokey 3 [CCID/ICCD Interface] 00 00 Tries left : 0 Tries left : 0 Tries left : 0 There is no way to reset PINs via pkcs15-init. gpg --card-edit gpg/card\> unblock gpg: Обнаружена карта OpenPGP номер \*\*\* gpg: Код сброса (больше) не доступен * * * gpg/card\> admin Команды администрирования разрешены gpg/card\> passwd gpg: Обнаружена карта OpenPGP номер \*\*\*\*\* 1 - change PIN 2 - unblock PIN 3 - change Admin PIN 4 - set the Reset Code Q - quit Ваш выбор? 2 Error unblocking the PIN: Плохой пароль 1 - change PIN 2 - unblock PIN 3 - change Admin PIN 4 - set the Reset Code Q - quit Ваш выбор? 4 Error setting the Reset Code: Плохой пароль 1 - change PIN 2 - unblock PIN 3 - change Admin PIN 4 - set the Reset Code Q - quit How to burn firmware? ---
### Author: ![mke](https://support.nitrokey.com/user_avatar/support.nitrokey.com/mke/32/1625_2.png) [@mke](https://support.nitrokey.com/u/mke) #### Post date: [January 20, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821/5 "2024-01-20T17:44:19Z")
I had the same strange behavior when I activate the KDF settings. Leaving them “OFF” everything works fine. Model: NK3C NFC Nitrokey firmware version: `v1.6.0-test.20231218` Pivy-tool version: `0.11.2` Pcsc-lite version: `2.0.0` Opensc version: `0.23.0` Platform: Ubuntu 23.10 (arm64 / RPi 5) ---
### Author: ![ulrich](https://support.nitrokey.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@ulrich](https://support.nitrokey.com/u/ulrich) #### Post date: [January 22, 2024, 7:49am UTC](https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821/6 "2024-01-22T07:49:37Z")
I solved the problem. In my freebsd version there is incomplete funtional of gpg tool. Switch to ubuntu then gpg --card-edit admin factory-reset Check pkcs11-tool --list-pin | grep -i left All three tries reseted to 3. ---
### Author: ![saper](https://support.nitrokey.com/user_avatar/support.nitrokey.com/saper/32/493_2.png) [@saper](https://support.nitrokey.com/u/saper) #### Post date: [January 28, 2024, 3:16pm UTC](https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821/7 "2024-01-28T15:16:03Z")
This is strange, I am using FreeBSD with NK3 all the time. But good you got it sorted out! Пока! ---
### Author: ![ulrich](https://support.nitrokey.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@ulrich](https://support.nitrokey.com/u/ulrich) #### Post date: [January 31, 2024, 5:53pm UTC](https://support.nitrokey.com/t/nitrokey-3-mini-cannot-unblock-pgp-user-pin/5821/8 "2024-01-31T17:53:06Z")
Yep, time by time I have the following message on `gpg --card-edit` _gpg: selecting card failed: Operation not supported by device_ _gpg: OpenPGP card not available: Operation not supported by device_ Then reinsert nk3 and retype `gpg --card-edit` and voila.