Troubleshooting Tip: Resolving 'No Certificates Found. Please make sure a proper PKCS#11 library is set and a smart card is inserted' Error in FortiClient Linux

[fatihseyligli]

Description	This article describes how to resolve the 'No certificates found' issue in FortiClient Linux by adjusting the 'Linux Smart Card Certificate' setting.
Scope	FortiClient Linux, FortiClient EMS.
Solution	When attempting to connect to an SSL VPN using FortiClient Linux, users may encounter the following error message: 'No certificates found. Please make sure a proper PKCS#11 library is set and a smart card is inserted.' This error typically appears when FortiClient is configured to use a smart card for authentication but cannot find the necessary certificates. To resolve the issue, adjust the 'Linux Smart Card Certificate' setting in the FortiClient's endpoint profile. Specifically, removing the value set for 'Linux Smart Card Certificate' can resolve the error. The 'Linux Smart Cart Certificate' option is used for integrating smart card authentication with SSL VPN connections on Linux systems. It specifies the certificate used for authentication purposes when the smart card is inserted. When enabled and configured, FortiClient expects to find a smart card certificate for authentication via the PKCS#11 library. The PKCS#11 library acts as an interface for the application to communicate with the hardware security module (HSM). For users who do not need smart card authentication, clearing the 'Linux Smart Card Certificate' field will prevent them from attempting to use smart card authentication, thus avoiding related errors. If smart card authentication is required, ensure the correct PKCS#11 library is installed and configured, and verify that the smart card is properly imported before attempting to connect.