Wired Network Authentication

Authentication procedures guard networks from unauthorized access.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) produces recommendation 802.1X as the definitive recommendation for authentication of access to local area networks (LANs). The standard was originally written to suit Ethernet networks, but now extends to all forms of LANs, including fiber optic and wireless.

Features

The 802.1X standards are centered on the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). This system is flexible because it enables different authentication algorithms to be add-on. This is why it is called "extensible." The different security systems that can be attached to the protocol are called "Methods."

Function

The accessing user's computer is called the "supplicant." The supplicant connects to an "authenticator" over a connection protected by EAP. The authenticator is usually a network switch. This is a piece of hardware that protects the authentication server from direct contact with the outside world. The authenticator passes on the dialog between the supplicant and the authentication server.

Procedure

The authentication server checks the supplicants credentials, which are usually presented in the form of a username and password. Once the supplicants access rights are verified, the authenticator allows traffic from that source through to the protected network.

References

• IEEE: 802.1X-2004
• Untruth: An Analysis of the RADIUS Authentication Protocol