Touch not recognized or auth problem. Setting HOTP secret failed. #Dasharo+Heads

Hi all, I have a Nitrokey 3A Mini which I want to use with Dasharo + Heads. I choose “Reset the TPM” and after QR I give the Admin PIN. Then I get:

HOTP code verification application, version 1.5

Please touch the USB security key if it blinks …touch received
Error occurred, status code 32: Touch was not recognized, or there was other problem with the authentication
ERROR: Setting HOTP secret on Nitrokey failed!

Error setting HOTP secret, re-enter Admin PIN and try again:

I am sure I enter the correct Admin PIN. I have no clue what to do. My system has a MSI PRO Z790-P motherboard with a TPM2.0 module (with Infineon SLB 9672, MS-4462 VER:2.2).

I have factory-reset many times, but nothing seems to make any difference. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Hi, both the 3A Mini (https://www.nitrokey.com/blog/2024/heads-v25-and-nitrokey-3-firmware-v171-security-update) and heads need a minimum firmware release for HOTP to work.

Yeah, I had the same exact issue recently. It took almost two weeks for me to figure it out. Hopefully I can save you some headache.

check the key with: nitropy (command for your type of key) test. For an nk3, thats nitropy nk3 test.

Assuming, of course, you can get nitropy working. That was my main issue. There’s a missing dependency now. I’ll go into that if you can’t get it working.

If the FIDO2 response gives a fail, then you have the same issue I did. Even if that’s not the thing responding with an error, you can try this anyway.

I luckily didn’t need anything on the key. I did a factory reset inside nitropy, rather than inside heads or with gpg. I then factory reset the pad and was finally able to sign the firmware and os with my key.

If you have stuff you don’t want to lose on your key, I believe you can factory reset each separate tool in nitropy, but I’m not sure what command you need for fido2/whatever is glitched on your key.