👉 Overview
👀 What ?
Windows Kerberos Authentication is a network authentication protocol designed by Microsoft. It provides a mechanism for mutual authentication between a client and a server on an open network, such as the internet.
🧐 Why ?
Understanding Windows Kerberos Authentication is important because it's a cornerstone of Windows network security. It ensures the privacy and integrity of the data travelling across the network. It's also a common target for attackers, who exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to network resources.
⛏️ How ?
To use Windows Kerberos Authentication, one needs to have a Windows Server running Active Directory and users must be logged into the Active Directory domain. When a user requests access to a network service, the Kerberos protocol issues a ticket granting ticket (TGT). This TGT is then encrypted and sent back to the client. The client decrypts the TGT using its password and then requests access to the desired service from the server. The server verifies the TGT and if it's valid, grants access to the service.
⏳ When ?
Kerberos was developed in the 1980s at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Microsoft adopted the protocol in Windows 2000, and it has been a crucial part of their operating systems ever since.
⚙️ Technical Explanations
The Kerberos protocol works on the basis of 'tickets' which serve as encrypted identifiers issued by the Key Distribution Center (KDC), part of the Active Directory in a Windows server. These tickets are used to authenticate clients and servers in a Windows network environment. The protocol uses symmetric key cryptography and requires a trusted third party. It operates on the basis of 'trust for delegation', meaning that a server trusted by the KDC can also issue tickets.