An authentication error has occured (Code: 0x80070057) when connecting through PAM Gateway

Products

• CA Privileged Access Manager (PAM)

Issue/Introduction

When trying to connect to a Windows server using CA PAM RDP Gateway, ,the following error is obtained

An authentication error has occured (Code: 0x80070057)

and connection fails. This occurs with no credentials injected in the remote connection

Environment

CA PAM 4.2.X

Cause

This is a know issue under the following circumstances:

• The connection is done to a remote Windows system from CA PAM using the CA PAM RDP Gateway
• The connection does not have autologin configured, that is it has no target account associated
• In the remote Windows system under System Properties --> Control Panel --> Remote Desktop configuration --> Allow remote connections, the following option checbox is checked

 "Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (recommended)" 

 

 

This is described in the CA PAM 4.2.0 documentation

See section PAM Gateway for RDP Overview where it is mentioned explicitly that

To support RDP desktop client sessions on Windows target devices that are configured with the Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication RDP-TCP access method setting, you must configure a corresponding Windows target account. For more information, see Configure Login Options for Windows Target Devices

Resolution

Either configure a target account for the device you are trying to access through CA PAM RDP Gateway and associate it to the device and connection before attempting i again or- in windows- clear the checbox for  "Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (recommended)" in Remote Desktop Configuration under the Windows target device Control Panel