How to View Installed CSPs in Windows Regedit

This guide explains how to locate and inspect installed Cryptographic Service Providers (CSPs) using the Windows Registry Editor (Regedit). In Windows environments, CSPs handle encryption, decryption, and key management tasks. System administrators and developers can inspect the registry to view registered CSP names, verify associated DLL files, and ensure both 64-bit and 32-bit cryptographic modules are configured properly.

Registry Paths for Installed CSPs

The Windows Registry stores installed Cryptographic Service Providers under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM) hive. The exact path depends on the architecture of the provider.

64-Bit (Native) Cryptographic Service Providers

To inspect standard 64-bit CSPs on a 64-bit system (or 32-bit CSPs on a native 32-bit system), navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\Defaults\Provider

Under the Provider key, each subkey represents an installed CSP (for example, Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider v1.0 or Microsoft RSA SChannel Cryptographic Provider).

32-Bit Cryptographic Service Providers (on 64-Bit Windows)

To inspect 32-bit CSPs installed on a 64-bit operating system, navigate to the WOW6432Node path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Cryptography\Defaults\Provider

Cryptography Next Generation (CNG) Providers

For modern CNG Key Storage Providers (KSPs) and algorithm providers, Windows uses an alternate registry path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\Providers

Step-by-Step: Inspecting CSPs in Regedit

  1. Press Win + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog.

  2. Type regedit and press Enter (confirm the User Account Control prompt if requested).

  3. Copy and paste the primary path into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor:

    HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\Defaults\Provider

  4. Expand the Provider folder in the left-hand navigation pane to see the full list of installed providers.

  5. Click on any specific CSP subkey to inspect its configuration values in the right pane.

Key Registry Values in a CSP Entry

Inside each CSP folder, you will find several standard registry values: