I've running a Apache webserver with mod_ssl installed and working. I can create a CA, server certificates and client certificates and grant access to certain directories based on these certificates.

However, now I want to grant access to a certain directory on this server, based on client certificates that are published by a third party. These certificates are stored on a smartcard. The software that accompanies the smartcard reader that the visitors use installs the client certificates in the Microsoft Certificate Store.
Furthermore I've a certificate chain of 4 or 5 certifcates including the root CA certificate.

I was told that apache can authenticate clients using the information mentioned above, but I can't figure out how. For example, I don't know which certifacte I have to use as server certificate. When I take the last certificate from the chain mentioned above, I get an apache error 'Public Key not found' (which makes sense because I don't have one).

Any help is appreciated. When anyone thinks this is not going to work at all, please let me know as well.

Best regards,
Bas

You can use your old server certificate and still authenticate clients with certificates issued by a third party.
There is no rule which would force the server and client certificates to be issued by the same CA.
See http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/mod...ertificatefile