Mechanics of User Identification and Authenication ─ Fundamentals of Identity Management

User identification and authentication are essential parts of information security. Users must authenticate as they access their computer systems at work or at home every day. Yet do users understand how and why they are actually being authenticated, the security level of the authentication mechanism that they are using, and the potential impacts of selecting one authentication mechanism or another?Introducing key concepts, Mechanics of User Identification and Authentication: Fundamentals of Identity Management outlines the process of controlled access to resources through authentication, authorization, and accounting in an in-depth, yet accessible manner. It examines today's security landscape and the specific threats to user authentication. The book then outlines the process of controlled access to resources and discusses the types of user credentials that can be presented as proof of identity prior to accessing a computer system. It also contains an overview on cryptography that includes the essential approaches and terms required for understanding how user authentication works.This book provides specific information on the user authentication process for both UNIX and Windows. Addressing more advanced applications and services, the author presents common security models such as GSSAPI and discusses authentication architecture. Each method is illustrated with a specific authentication scenario.

USER IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION CONCEPTSSecurity LandscapeAuthentication, Authorization, and Accounting Threats to User Identification and Authentication Rainbow AttacksAuthentication CredentialsEnterprise User Identification and Authentication Challenges Authenticating Access to Services and the InfrastructureDelegation and ImpersonationCryptology, Cryptography, and Cryptanalysis UNIX USER AUTHENTICATION ARCHITECTUREUsers and Groups Simple User Credential StoresName Services Switch (NSS) Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM)The UNIX Authentication Process User Impersonation Case Study: User Authentication Against LDAP Case Study: Using Hesiod for User Authentication in Linux WINDOWS USER AUTHENTICATION ARCHITECTURE Security Principals Stand-Alone Authentication Windows Domain Authentication Federated Trusts ImpersonationAUTHENTICATING ACCESS TO SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS Security Programming Interfaces Authentication Protocols Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Telnet Authentication HTTP Authentication POP3/IMAP Authentication SMTP Authentication SSH Authentication Sun RPC Authentication SMB/CIFS Authentication NFS Authentication Microsoft Remote Procedure Calls MS SQL Authentication Oracle Database Server Authentication Oracle Legacy Authentication Database MS Exchange MAPI Authentication SAML, WS-Security, and Federated Identity AUTHENTICATING ACCESS TO THE INFRASTRUCTUREUser Authentication on Cisco Routers and Switches Authenticating Remote Access to the Infrastructure Port-Based Access Control Authenticating Access to the Wireless Infrastructure IPSec, IKE, and VPN Client Authentication Centralized User Authentication APPENDICESReferencesLab Configuration Indices of Tables and Figures