pkcs_C_Login: Error = 0x00000005 - what does it mean?

  • Updated on Oct 29, 2018
  • Published on Apr 20, 2018
  • 1 minute(s) read
  • Suzanne Goldlust
  • Cathy Almond

Question:

Using BIND with DNSSEC and keys managed within an HSM (Hardware Security Module), the following error is occasionally encountered (using BIND 9.10):

2015 Jun 25 12:52:08 dns-server pk11.c:648: fatal error: 
2015 Jun 25 12:52:08 dns-server pkcs_C_Login: Error = 0x00000005 
2015 Jun 25 12:52:08 dns-server exiting (due to fatal error in library)

What does this mean, why is it happening, and what can be done to fix this?

Answer:

Error code 5 is CKR_GENERAL_ERROR.

It is a generic error being passed back to BIND by the PKCS#11 code, usually as a result of an error condition being returned by the HSM device. You should refer to your HSM provider for more help with troubleshooting the problem.