Error: "Your login attempt was not successful" when using vIDM user account in NSX

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• NSX version is NSX 4.2.4 or 9.0.0 or above.
• VMware Identity Manager (vIDM) is configured in NSX.
• When attempting to log directly into the VMware NSX User Interface (UI) using a VMware Identity Manager (vIDM) user account, the login fails with the following error message:
  

• These failed login attempts correspond with the following NSX Manager log entries that are similar to the below: 
  
  /var/log/proxy/reverse-proxy.log

  2026-06-10T11:08:37.890Z  INFO Processing request <Request ID> OAuth2AuthenticationProvider 3180 - [nsx@6876 comp="nsx-manager" level="INFO" subcomp="http"] Bypassing local login attempt.
  2026-06-10T11:08:37.890Z  INFO Processing request <Request ID> CustomOidcAuthorizationCodeAuthenticationProvider 3180 - [nsx@6876 comp="nsx-manager" level="INFO" subcomp="http"] Bypassing local login attempt.

Note: The preceding log excerpts are only examples. Date, time, and environmental variables may vary depending on your environment.

Environment

VMware NSX

Cause

This behaviour is by design.  In NSX versions prior to NSX 4.2.4 or 9.0.0, vIDM users could login directly to the NSX UI.  The correct NSX UI authorization workflow is to enter credentials in vIDM which then redirects to the NSX UI. 

A fix to prevent local NSX login requests from bypasssing vIDM was included in NSX 4.2.4 and 9.0.0.

 

Resolution

This is a condition that may occur in a VMware NSX environment.

The correct NSX UI authorization workflow to follows is below:

1. Click the "Sign in with vIDM" link on the NSX UI login page (do not enter credentials into the local login fields):
   
   
   
2. Log into the vIDM server with a vIDM user account.
3. vIDM server redirects the browser back to NSX.

Additional Information

vIDM users can authenticate in NSX without accessing vIDM
NSX UI redirects to the standard NSX login page instead of redirecting to the vIDM login page   
Logging in to NSX Manager