Previously uploaded: 'Enterprise Security Mode' https://github.com/ImaneLamriui/Securing-Enterprise-Access, utilizing a RADIUS server for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA). Now, let's explore the contrast between RADIUS and TACACS+.
RADIUS and TACACS+ are both security protocols for authentication and authorization in networks, but they differ in how they handle these functions:
RADIUS: Operates on a client-server model where network devices send authentication requests to the RADIUS server to verify user credentials.
TACACS+: Also follows a client-server model, but divides authentication, authorization, and accounting functions across separate servers for finer control.
RADIUS: Uses simpler and less robust encryption compared to TACACS+, potentially making it more vulnerable to attacks.
TACACS+: Provides stronger encryption, ensuring higher security in communication between the client and server.
RADIUS: Offers basic authentication and authorization, suitable for environments where less detailed control over user access is needed.
TACACS+: Provides greater granularity in authorization, allowing for more precise control over actions that authenticated users can perform.
RADIUS: Commonly used in environments where remote user authentication is needed, such as wireless networks or VPN connections.
TACACS+: More prevalent in corporate environments where detailed control over user actions is required, such as in the management of critical network devices.
- We could implement a RADIUS server or TACACS+ server in the network and configure the network devices to authenticate users.
- We add a server and configure the 'AAA' service on switch S1. We add the user 'raduser' with the a password.
- Next, we connect the server to switch 1 on port FastEthernet 0/1 in access mode and belonging to VLAN1.
- Now, we proceed to configure the switch to authenticate users first against the TACACS server, and in case it fails to authenticate against the server, it should fall back to local authentication.
- We configure it so that if the authentication server goes down, there won't be any way to access the switches. With the following command, we instruct the switch to first attempt authentication through the RADIUS AAA server, and if that fails, it should check against the local switch users with the following command:
The NSA Security Guide recommends modifying the privilege level of certain default level '1' commands to level '15'.
The last command privilege exec level 1 show ip sets the commands show and show ip at level 1.
Save the configuration using the wr command.
