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Authentication Design

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Summary

PDF p.80

Authentication design involves selecting technologies that ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability when verifying user credentials. Common authentication factors include knowledge-based methods like usernames, passwords, passphrases, and PINs.

In plain words

Supplementary — not from your PDF

Authentication checks that you are who you claim to be by comparing what you present with what the system has stored. A good design keeps credentials secret, is hard to fool, and is still easy enough that people can get their work done.

Detailed explanation

PDF p.80
  • Authentication Process
    • Definition: Authentication occurs when a user (supplicant) presents credentials to an authentication server, which verifies them against stored credentials.
    • Outcome: If the credentials match, the user is authenticated.
  • Confidentiality
    • Importance: Prevents credential leakage, which could allow threat actors to impersonate users.
    • Requirement: Credentials must be kept secret to protect user identities and system access.
  • Integrity
    • Importance: Ensures the authentication mechanism is reliable and resistant to bypass or counterfeit attempts.
    • Requirement: The system must be robust against attacks and manipulation.
  • Availability
    • Importance: Ensures the authentication process is efficient and user-friendly, not hindering workflows.
    • Requirement: The system must be accessible and easy to use.
  • Authentication Factors
    • Knowledge Factor (Something You Know)
      • Username and Password: Common method where the username is public, but the password is secret.
      • Passphrase: A longer, more secure, and memorable password composed of multiple words.
      • PIN: A personal identification number, traditionally short and numeric, now used for single-device authentication with any character length.

Important terms

taken from the text above
Authentication Process
Authentication occurs when a user (supplicant) presents credentials to an authentication server, which verifies them against stored credentials.
Username and Password
Common method where the username is public, but the password is secret.
Passphrase
A longer, more secure, and memorable password composed of multiple words.
PIN
A personal identification number, traditionally short and numeric, now used for single-device authentication with any character length.

Examples & real-world scenarios

Supplementary — not from your PDF
  • Typing a username and password (a knowledge factor).
  • Using a long passphrase instead of a short password.
  • Unlocking a laptop with a PIN tied to that device.

Scenario

A company adds so many login steps that staff start writing passwords on sticky notes. The design failed on availability (usability), which in turn weakened confidentiality.

Common mistakes

Supplementary — not from your PDF
  • Forgetting usability. An authentication system people work around isn't secure.
  • Thinking a username is a secret. Usually it's public; the password is the secret.

Practical skills

Supplementary — not from your PDF
  • Judge an authentication method against confidentiality, integrity and availability.

What I should remember

Key Points PDF p.80
  • Authentication Process
    • Verification: Credentials presented and compared to stored copies.
    • Match: Successful authentication if credentials match.
  • Confidentiality
    • Protection: Prevents credential leakage.
    • Impersonation Risk: Mitigates threat actor impersonation.
  • Integrity
    • Reliability: Ensures robust and secure authentication.
    • Resistance: Protects against bypass and counterfeit attempts.
  • Availability
    • Efficiency: Quick and user-friendly authentication.
    • Accessibility: Easy for users to operate.
  • Knowledge Factor
    • Username and Password: Common, with secret passwords.
    • Passphrase: Secure and memorable.
    • PIN: Single-device authentication, flexible in length and characters.