Authentication

What is an 802.1X supplicant? An 802.1X supplicant is a client device or software that provides authentication credentials to an 802.1X enabled network. In other words, it is a device that is trying to connect to a secure network that requires authentication.  802.1X is a security protocol used in wired and wireless networks to control…

What is 802.1X and EAP? 802.1X is a network access control protocol used to authenticate and authorize devices trying to connect to a network. It works by requiring a user or device to provide valid credentials, such as a username and password or a digital certificate, before allowing access to the network. EAP (Extensible Authentication…

How do you setup a RADIUS server? Setting up a RADIUS server involves the following steps: Install a RADIUS server software: Choose a RADIUS server software such as Portnox RADIUS that supports various operating systems including Linux, Windows, and macOS. Install the software on the server where you want to run the RADIUS server. Configure…

What is RADIUS authentication? RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) is a client/server protocol used for authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) of remote network access. It was originally developed for dial-up network connections, but it has since been adapted for use with other types of network access such as Wi-Fi, VPNs, and even wired Ethernet…

How is device authentication done? Device authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a device to ensure that only authorized devices are allowed to access certain resources or perform specific actions. The authentication process typically involves the following steps: Identification: The device sends an identification request to the authentication server. This request includes…

What is AAA security? AAA security is a term that stands for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting. These three components are critical to secure network access control, and they are often used together to ensure that only authorized users can access specific resources or services. Authentication refers to the process of verifying the identity of a…

What is MAC address filtering? MAC address filtering is a technique used in computer networking for allowing or denying network access to specific devices based on their unique MAC addresses. Each device that can connect to a network, such as a computer or smartphone, has a unique MAC address, much like a fingerprint. This address…

What is public key cryptography? Public key cryptography, also known as asymmetric cryptography, is a cryptographic method that uses a pair of mathematically related keys to secure the communication and transfer of data. It involves the use of two distinct keys: a public key and a private key. The public key is widely distributed and…

What is a MAC address? A MAC (Media Access Control) address, also known as a physical address or hardware address, is a unique identifier assigned to network interface controllers (NICs) by the manufacturer. It is a 48-bit address expressed in hexadecimal format and is typically represented as six sets of two-digit hexadecimal numbers separated by…

What is RadSec? RadSec, short for RADIUS over Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS), is a security extension for the RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) protocol. RADIUS is a widely used networking protocol that enables centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting for network access. It is commonly used in Internet Service Provider…

What is client certificate authentication? Client certificate authentication is a method of verifying the identity of a client (user or device) accessing a secure online service or system. It is a type of mutual authentication, where both the client and the server verify each other’s identity before establishing a secure communication channel. In the context…

What is SSL certificate authority? An SSL certificate authority (CA) is a trusted entity responsible for issuing digital certificates used to secure online communication and establish secure connections between a website’s server and a user’s web browser. The SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) technology has been succeeded by TLS (Transport Layer Security), but the term “SSL…