GlobalProtect 5.0 for iOS 12 and User Certificates

[MarkRosenecker]

I have several customers (and my homelab) that leverage user certificates issued from Active Directory Certificate Authorities as a second authentication factor.  Since upgrading to the new 5.0 client for iOS, the client errors out on connection to the portal, indicating that the required certificate cannot be found.  If I attempt to connect to the same portal via the 4.1 client, it works flawlessly.  Upgrading to iOS12 prevents me from using the 4.1 client, and I fear that many of my customers' users will upgrade their own devices to iOS12, not knowing the problems this may cause.

Is anyone else having problems with user certificates and the new 5.0 client?

Thanks!

Mark Rosenecker

[gwesson · Accepted solution]

This is expected, because of the way Apple changed the way certificates are handled in iOS 12 compared with 11 and older.

The new features guide talks about it under the "Authentication

https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/documentation/50/globalprotect/globalprotect-app-new-features/new-f...

The location of the certificates in iOS 11 is different than iOS 12, so you'll need to re-import the certs. The steps are different for admins who manage their devices with an MDM versus unmanaged devices.

[sarao]

For MDM based client certificate deployments, please refer to the following link for more details:

https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/documentation/50/globalprotect/globalprotect-app-new-features/new-f...

These changes were pre-announced in July 2018 on live articles and also as part of GP App 5.0 Beta program.

[MarkRosenecker]

Thank you, gwesson!  That was a very helpful post!  I will re-import my certs and check again.

I had only become aware of the new client when the old client had an "update".  When run on iOS 11, it exhibited the same problem (which makes sense, if it's looking in a non-existant location for the certs).  I chalked it up to a .0 bug.

[MarkRosenecker]

Sarao,

I appreciate your reply, but there are a few things:

1) I'm not using an MDM, so that portion is not applicable to me (or my customers).

2) I never saw any pre-announcement about GP 5.0, and I'm a platinum partner, a CNSE (before it was called PCNSE) since 2012, and multiple-PSE certified engineer.  I was also at SKO a few weeks ago as well, and I didn't hear a thing about it.  Granted, I don't spend my days whiling away on Live Communities...

3) I obviously wasn't part of the beta program (otherwise I'd have found this problem long ago and resolved it).

Perhaps I was reading too much into your reply (it is 10pm, and I've been up since 3am), but there was a condescending tone to it that I did not appreciate.  If I am wrong, I am sorry for my misinterpretation.  If I am right, please exhibit more tact in the future, when addressing other professionals.

Thank you!