Authentication server

Authentication servers are network services that client devices or applications can use to authenticate the credentials (usually account names and passwords) of their users. When a client submits a valid set of credentials, it receives a cryptographic ticket that it can subsequently use to access various other network services.

Authentication is used as the basis for authorization (determining whether a privilege will be granted to a particular user or process), privacy (keeping information from becoming known to non-participants), and non-repudiation (not being able to deny having done something that was authorized to be done based on the authentication).

The major authentication algorithms utilized are passwords, Kerberos, and public key encryption.

See also

• TACACS+
• RADIUS
• Multi-factor authentication