DSC Token Types Explained
The certificate is the same whichever token it sits on. The driver is not, and that is where every problem starts.
Why the brand matters at all
Your certificate lives on a USB crypto token, and several brands are in circulation — ePass, ProxKey, mToken, SafeNet and others. The certificate does not change between them; how your computer reads it does.
Each brand needs its own driver and management utility. Install the wrong vendor's driver and the token stays invisible, which looks exactly like a dead certificate and is not.
So the first question when a token is not detected is which brand it is. It is usually printed on the body. If it has worn off, send us a photograph and we will identify it.
What this means in practice
- New machine means installing the driver again, for your specific brand and current Windows version.
- Get drivers from the vendor or your certifying authority, never from a general download site. This device holds your legal signature.
- Tokens lock permanently after repeated wrong PIN attempts, on every brand. Stop after two.
- A token that fails everywhere is probably hardware; one that fails on your machine only is the driver.
- Keep the utility installed — it is how you check the certificate's validity and serial number.
Written 5 September 2026. Government requirements and portal behaviour change — message us to confirm before you rely on any date or figure here.
Common questions
Send us your case
Send us a photograph of the token and the error you are seeing. Identifying the brand is usually the whole fix.
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