Solve issues with Kerberos authentication in SCCM scripts
In enterprise environments, Kerberos authentication errors can occur when SCCM client machines fail to communicate properly with the SCCM site server. To help identify and resolve these issues, a script combined with the Sysinternals tool can be used to remotely diagnose and troubleshoot Kerberos authentication errors on multiple SCCM client machines listed in a CSV file.
Key Steps
- Prepare a CSV list of the client computer names that you want to troubleshoot.
- Use PsExec.exe to remotely execute troubleshooting commands or scripts on each SCCM client machine. PsExec allows running commands in the system context, useful for gathering authentication information.
- Create a PowerShell script that:
- Checks the Kerberos ticket status with tools like .
- Tests Kerberos authentication by attempting to access the site server using Kerberos protocol.
- Collects event logs related to Kerberos errors on the client machines.
- Optionally resets the machine account password or forces a Kerberos ticket renewal.
- Run the script remotely using PsExec on each machine from the CSV list to automate data collection and troubleshooting.
- Analyze collected data for:
- Clock skew issues (Kerberos tickets are time-sensitive).
- Service Prerequisite Name (SPN) errors or duplicates.
- Password rotation failures (notably after Windows updates as per resolved Windows 11 issues KB5055523).
- Event IDs related to Kerberos errors (e.g., 4768, 4771, or 4776) on the clients or site server.
- Network or firewall blocks preventing Kerberos communication.
- Address identified issues, such as installing relevant Windows updates, correcting SPNs, synchronizing clocks (via NTP), and verifying client and server configurations.
Relevant Context
- Microsoft has resolved some Kerberos authentication issues related to machine account password rotation in recent Windows updates (e.g., KB5055523 for Windows 11 24H2), which could affect SCCM clients in enterprise environments using Credential Guard[1].
- Continuous monitoring of Kerberos pre-authentication failures can indicate if widespread authentication problems or attacks are occurring[3].
- Although not explicitly detailed in the search results, combining PsExec.exe with PowerShell scripts is a common enterprise practice to automate troubleshooting across multiple machines, especially in SCCM-managed environments.
- The log file generated by the function is compatible with CMTrace.exe.
- Kerberos authentication errors can be seen in Deployment Statuses or while invoking PowerShell scripts on remote clients.
- To resolve the error, a CLI can be remotely instructed through WinRM.
By automating Kerberos troubleshooting this way, you can quickly identify environment-wide issues affecting SCCM client authentication with the site server and apply targeted remediation. It is essential to have PsExec.exe in the C:\ADMIN\PSTools\ directory of the PC before running the script. A CSV file can be used to import a list of computers for the script to analyze. If the script invocation returns the exception error , it indicates an error. The script being referred to also attempts to resolve potential DNS issues related to the Kerberos authentication error.
- To help address Kerberos authentication errors in an enterprise environment where SCCM client machines experience communication issues with the SCCM site server, one can incorporate technology like PsExec.exe to execute troubleshooting commands or scripts on the identified client machines.
- When utilizing technology such as PowerShell scripts for Kerberos authentication troubleshooting in SCCM client machines, it's crucial to collect data on potential issues, such as clock skew, SPN errors or duplicates, password rotation failures, and network or firewall blocks, to effectively resolve any errors found.
