Authentication & Network

Authentication checks the identity of users accessing a network.

Most wired private networks are physically secure and accessible only to those within the owning organization's building. Security issues surrounding authentication become a much greater priority where users are able to gain access to the network from other locations. Wireless systems also present security problems.

Standards

Access management is a specialized field of networking technology that comes under the title "Network Access Control" (NAC). This field covers more than just user authentication. The most authoritative guideline for authentication systems is the 802.1X recommendations published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Protocols

The IEEE 802.1X recommendations center on the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). EAP is a framework for authentication, with numerous authentication strategies added on. These are called "Methods." Another popular authentication protocol is Kerberos. This was created at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is the default authentication method used in Microsoft Windows networks.

Remote Access

Dial-in users--for example, users accessing an Internet service provider's network--are authenticated via

a system called RADIUS. This stands for "Remote Authentication Dial In User Service" protocol. In all authentication systems, the entering user does not connect directly to the authentication server, but carries out authentication procedures via a Network Access Server.

References

• Untruth: An Analysis of the RADIUS Authentication Protocol
• MIT: Kerberos
• Network Computing: Kerberos Network Design Manual
• FAQs.org: Kerberos Faqs
• Microsoft: Kerberos Authentication in Windows Server 2003
• IEEE: 802.1X-2004