Event ID 22 — Time Source Client Authentication

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008

The Windows Time source authenticates with a time source client. In an Active Directory forest, the Windows Time service (W32time) relies on standard domain security features to enforce the authentication of time data. The security of Network Time Protocol (NTP) packets that are sent between a domain member and a local domain controller that is acting as a time server is based on shared key authentication. The Windows Time service uses the local computer's Kerberos session key to create authenticated signatures on NTP packets that are sent across the network. When a computer requests the time from a domain controller in the domain hierarchy, the Windows Time service requires that the time be authenticated. The domain controller then returns the required information in the form of a 64-bit value that has been authenticated with the session key from the NetLogon service. If the returned NTP packet is not signed with the computer’s session key or if it is not signed correctly, the time is rejected. In this way, the Windows Time service provides security for NTP data in an Active Directory forest.

Event Details

Product: Windows Operating System
ID: 22
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Time-Service
Version: 6.0
Symbolic Name: MSG_CLIENT_COMPUTE_SERVER_DIGEST_FAILED
Message: The time provider NtpServer encountered an error while digitally signing the NTP response for peer %1. NtpServer cannot provide secure (signed) time to the client and will ignore the request. The error was: %2

Resolve

Investigate the cause of invalid responses from the time source

The error in Event Viewer should provide additional information. This condition may be the result of a network transmission error, configuration errors, or an attempted computer security attack. Ensure that the local computer is properly joined to the domain.

To perform these procedures, you must have membership in Administrators, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. Perform all steps on the computer that is logging the event to be resolved.

To verify client domain membership:

  1. Open a command prompt as an administrator. To open a command prompt as an administrator, click Start. In Start Search, type Command Prompt. At the top of the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.
  2. To display the workstation service configuration, at the command prompt, type net config rdr, and then press ENTER. The workstation domain and Domain Name System (DNS) name appear in the command output. The domain name should be correct. If it is not correct, join the client to the appropriate domain.

To join the client to a new domain:

  1. Open a command prompt as an administrator. To open a command prompt as an administrator, click Start. In Start Search, type Command Prompt. At the top of the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.
  2. At the command prompt, type sysdm.cpl, and then press ENTER. The System Properties dialog box opens.
  3. On the Computer Name tab, click Change. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box opens.
  4. Under Member of, ensure that Domain is selected, and then type the name of the domain in the box.
  5. When you are prompted, type your domainname\username and password to join the computer to the domain, where domainname is the name of the domain where your user account exists. When the domain is found, the membership is confirmed.
  6. Click OK, and then restart the computer when you are prompted.

Verify

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in Administrators, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To verify that the Windows Time service is synchronizing correctly:

  1. Open a command prompt as an administrator. To open a command prompt as an administrator, click Start. In Start Search, type Command Prompt. At the top of the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.

  2. At the command prompt, type W32TM /resync, and then press ENTER.

  3. At the command prompt, type W32TM /query /status, and then press ENTER.

    This command displays the status of the Windows Time service synchronization. The Last Successful Sync Time line of the output displays the date and time that you ran the W32TM /resync command in the previous step.

To confirm that the Windows Time service synchronized successfully with its time source when you ran the W32TM /resync command, verify that Event ID 35 appears in Event Viewer.

For more information about the Windows Time service, see Windows Time Service Technical Reference https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=25393).

Time Source Client Authentication

Active Directory