---
title: "Troubleshoot incorrect user logins caused by bad magstripe reads in Pharos Cloud"
slug: "troubleshoot-incorrect-user-logins-caused-by-bad-magstripe-reads-in-pharos-cloud"
tags: ["bad read", "badge import", "beacon", "card registration", "incorrect login", "Magstripe", "MagTek", "pharos cloud", "secure release", "sentry", "Sentry Secure Print"]
status: "new"
updated: 2026-08-19T13:27:01Z
published: 2026-08-19T13:27:01Z
canonical: "kb.pharos.com/troubleshoot-incorrect-user-logins-caused-by-bad-magstripe-reads-in-pharos-cloud"
---

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# Troubleshoot incorrect user logins caused by bad magstripe reads in Pharos Cloud

### Overview

This article explains how to resolve cases where users authenticate as the wrong person at a secure printer because a MagTek magnetic-stripe reader sends an invalid card read to Sentry Print Service in Pharos Cloud.

### Applies to

- Pharos Cloud / Beacon
- Sentry Secure Print
- MagTek magnetic-stripe reader environments
- HP and Toshiba devices

### Symptoms

- A user swipes their card and is logged in as another user.
- The same user may sometimes receive a prompt to register the card again.
- Some swipes are misread and may be treated as valid sign-in data.

### Cause

In affected versions, a misread swipe from a MagTek magnetic-stripe reader could, in rare cases, authenticate a user as the wrong account.

### Resolution

**Upgrade Sentry Print Service to version `2605.2506.4850` or later.**

This release includes a fix for a MagTek card reader authentication issue. Sentry Print Service now detects and rejects invalid card reads on HP and Toshiba devices, preventing those bad reads from being registered or used for sign-in.

### Additional Guidance

- After upgrading, test authentication with affected devices to confirm invalid reads are rejected.
- If users previously experienced incorrect logins, review impacted accounts for any unintended card registrations and clean them up if necessary.
- If the environment still uses magstripe readers heavily, monitor for repeat bad-read behavior after the upgrade.