Introduction to Computer Networks and Cybersecurity

Chapter 20

Hash and Authentication

The learning goals for this chapter are as follows:

• Understand Authentication and the critical role it plays in network security
• Explore the historical development of hash functions, their salient properties and use in authentication
• Examine the security properties of the currently viable hash functions as well as hash function attacks
• Investigate password-based authentication and the various hash-dependent mechanisms that are employed in this technique
• Understand the vulnerability of password authentication
• Learn the most popular password-based security protocols
• Explore the properties and usefulness of one-time passwords as well as their advantage over static passwords

20.1 Authentication Overview

When ...