Authentication

  • Goals

    • Users associated with an identity should be able to access what they need

    • users not associated should not

How is it implemented

  • Something you know

  • something you have

  • something you are

Implementing

  • Store a list of passwords, one for each user

    • File is readable by root or admin

      • Why should admin know passwords

    • If security is breached, attacker knows all passwords

  • Store something derived from passwords - hashing

    • Use a one way hash function and store result