🚀 go-pugleaf

haase@meediv.lanl.gov (Peter Haase) writes:

>In article <brady-161292075059@jbrady.aero.org>, brady@osiapps.aero.org
>(John Brady) wrote:
>> 
>> Has anyone tried using an in-line authentication box (like the
>> Digital Pathways Defender 5000) with ARA?
>> 
>> An in-line authentication box would sit between the answering
>> modem and the ARA server.  The user would have to prove his or her
>> identity before the authentication box would complete the connection
>> to the ARA server.  I guess the real question is can the ARA client
>> software support this dialog prior to completion of the ARAP connection.
>> 
>Why would you want to do that since on an ARA dial-in the user has to
>provide a valid username and password. Seems kind of redundant.

Usernames and passwords do not provide physical authentication of the user
(i.e. anyone could call up with a valid username and password).  Security
Dynamics makes a product in which each authorized user gets a 'smart card'
which displays a constantly changing key number.  By requiring the user to
type in the key number along with name and password, the system can be
assured with a great degree of certainty that the person logging in is in
posession of the card.  Key numbers are only good once, so even if someone is
eavesdropping and manages to replay the session, the login would still fail.
There are a number of other options depending on security requirements.
 
I know that they are planning an ARA interface for this product, but am not
sure if it has been released yet.
 
Jeff


>*******************************************************************
>Peter Haase                                   haase@meediv.lanl.gov
>Los Alamos National Laboratory                Applelink: HAASE
>Mechanical Electronic Engineering Division    505-667-2684
-- 
Jeff Kyser      jkyser@netcom.com      {amdahl,apple,claris}!netcom!jkyser