802.1X Authentication involves the requester, the Authenticator, and the authentication server. The requester has a client device (such as a laptop) that wants to connect to the LAN/WLAN. The term “client” is also used to refer to the software running on the client that provides the authenticator credentials.

It can allow or block data connections between the client and the Network and network traffic between the two, such as an Ethernet switch or wireless access point and various settings that should apply to the connection or this client setting.

What is IEEE 802.1x?

Devices attempting to connect to a LAN or WLAN require an authentication mechanism. IEEE 802.1X, the IEEE standard for port-based network access control (PNAC), provides secure authentication for secure network access.

802.1X networks differ from home networks in one important way; There is an authentication server called a Radius Server. Check a user’s credentials to see if they are an active member of the organization, allowing users different levels of network access based on network policies. Easily stolen.

Key points to remember

• 802.1X is an authentication protocol that allows access to networks using RADIUS servers.
• Security based on 802.1X and RADIUS is now considered the gold standard for securing wired and wireless networks.

How does 802.1X work?

802.1X is a network authentication protocol that opens a gateway for network access when an organization authenticates a user’s identity and grants him or her access to the network. A user’s identity is determined based on his or her certificate or certificate, which is verified by the RADIUS server. The Radius server can communicate with the organization’s Directory, typically via LDAP or SAML.

Key points to remember

• After 802.1X authentication, the device can access the secure side of the network.

• 802.1X provides various authentication methods such as username/password, credentials, OTP, etc.

Related Posts :- What is IEEE 802.11x?

What is 802.1X EAP security?

The standard authentication protocol used in encrypted networks is the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), which provides a secure method of sending credentials over the air for network authentication. 802.1X is a standard for EAP transmission over wired and wireless local area networks (LANs). Provides an encrypted EAP tunnel that prevents external users from intercepting information.

EAP certificates (EAP-TTLS/PAP and PEAP-MSCHAPv2) and digital certificates (EAP-TLS) can be configured to authenticate and are a very secure method for protecting the authentication process.

What is 802.1X used for?

802.1X is used for secure network authentication. If you’re an organization that deals with valuable and sensitive information, you need a secure way to move your data. 802.1X allows devices to communicate securely with access points (corporate routers). Historically only used by large organizations such as businesses, universities, and hospitals, it is increasingly being used by smaller businesses due to the growing threat of cybersecurity.

802.1X is often referred to as WPA2-Enterprise. In contrast, the home’s most widely used pre-shared key network security is WPA2-Personal. WPA2-Personal is insufficient for any organization handling sensitive information and can put organizations at serious risk of cybercrime.

Key points to remember

• Used to secure wired and wireless network connections using rotating security keys and to avoid loose/unencrypted or fixed key (PSK) connections
• 802.1X is used in enterprise-on-campus environments where users are allowed or prevented from entering and leaving the organization by network access

Are IEEE 802.1X and Wi-Fi the same?

Almost. The IEEE 802.1X standard was initially designed for use in wired Ethernet networks. Wi-Fi is a branding phrase that refers to the IEEE 802.11x standard, a modified version of the original standard.

Therefore, most networking and security professionals use the term 802.1X for wired and wireless networks if they use WPA2-Enterprise Security.

What is wired 802.1X?

Authenticating a wired network connection for 802.1X is a wireless-like process. Wired network users must connect to a secure network from their device and present a signed or valid certificate to prove their identity.

The main difference is that instead of establishing a secure connection to a wireless switch, the device needs to connect to Ethernet, and the 802.1X-enabled switch needs to authenticate the device and trust the wired connection to the RADIUS server, and if that user detects it, it will be authorized to use the protected network.

How secure is 802.1X?

When used correctly, it is the gold standard for network authentication security. It can prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, Evil Twin proxies, and other live credential theft attacks. This is much more secure than older shared key networks, typically used in private networks.

However, 802.1X Security can vary greatly based on two factors. If end users need to manually configure their devices, there is the first variable. Understanding the installation process requires a high level of IT knowledge and can be vulnerable to credential theft if some steps are not done correctly. We strongly recommend using dedicated 802.1X integration software instead.

The second variable depends on whether your organization uses certificate-based or certificate-based authentication. Certificate-based EAP-TLS greatly reduces an organization’s risk of certificate theft and is the most secure way to use 802.1X. This prevents credentials from being sent over the air, where they can easily be stolen, and requires the user to go through a signup/onboarding process to ensure their device is set up correctly.

Key points to remember

• One of the most secure protocols for network authentication, trumping WPA2/3-PSK and Open/Unencrypted connections
• Requires precise configuration; mistakes made by users lead to security compromises.
• Digital certificates instead of username/password-based 802.1X mitigates security issues

Is 802.1X encrypted?

Yes, 802.1X is encrypted.

802.1X WPA is typically reserved for personal networks, such as home Wi-Fi, and operates on RC4-based Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) encryption. Less secure than WPA2 but generally adequate for home use.

802.1X WPA2 can use TKIP, but it generally chooses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), the most secure standard available. However, it is a little more difficult and expensive to set up, so it is used in high-stakes environments such as enterprises.

802.1X components

802.1X needs a few components to work. If you already have access points and server space available, you have all the hardware necessary to ensure wireless Security. Sometimes you don’t even need a server; Some access points come with built-in software that can handle 802.1X (but only for small deployments).

Whether you buy a professional solution or build your own with open-source tools, the quality and simplicity of 802.1X is all by design.

Key points to remember

• 802.1X has only four major components: client, access point/switch, RADIUS server, and identity provider

Client / Supplicant

To participate in 802.1X certification, a device must have network application software installed. The requester is required because it will participate in the initial EAP transaction negotiation with a switch or controller and collect user credentials in an 802.1X-compliant manner. If the client does not have a carrier, the EAP frame sent to the switch or controller will be dropped, and the switch will not be authenticated.

Fortunately, almost every device we expect to connect to a wireless network has a built-in tester. SecureW2 provides an 802.1X interrogator for devices that do not have one natively.

Fortunately, the vast majority of device manufacturers have built-in support for 802.1X. The most common exceptions to this rule are consumer devices, such as game consoles, entertainment devices, or printers. Typically these devices should represent less than 10% of the devices on the network and are best treated as exceptions rather than priorities.

Key points to remember

• Device software containing configuration and connection data (credentials/credentials) sent to the access point/switch
• If username/password authentication is used, the devices must be properly configured to prevent certificate theft. Consider using setup software or switching to certificate-based authentication.
• In 10-15 years, most operating systems will have 802.1X support; IoT.support is missing but catching up

Switch / Access Point / Controller

A wireless switch or controller plays an important role in 802.1X transactions by acting as a “broker” in the exchange. The client does not have a network connection until the authentication is successful, and the only communication is between the 802.1X exchange and the client switch.

The switch/controller initiates the exchange by sending an EAPOL-start packet to the client when connected to the network. The response from the client is sent to the correct RADIUS server as configured in the wireless network security settings. After authentication, the switch/controller decides whether or not to allow the device to access the network based on the user’s state and possibly the attributes in the Access_Accept packet sent by the RADIUS server.

If the RADIUS server sends an Access_Accept packet as a result of authentication, it contains a number of attributes that inform the switch on how to connect the device to the network. General Properties determine which VLANs the user will be assigned, or perhaps to a set of access ACLs). access control). This is commonly called “user-based policy assignment” because the RADIUS server makes decisions based on the user’s credentials. Common use cases would be to push guest users to guest VLANs and employees to dependent VLANs.

Key points to remember

• This device facilitates communication between the device and the RADIUS server.
• The access point/switch is where you configure your network to use 802.1X instead of open/unencrypted or WPA2/3-PSK.
• Acts as the enforcement point when the RADIUS server returns the correct access control policy

RADIUS Server

The RADIUS server acts as the network’s “security guard”; When users connect, Radius verifies their identity and authorizes them to use the network. A user can access the network by registering for a certificate with a private key infrastructure (PKI) or by validating their certificate. Each time a user logs in, Radius verifies that they have the correct certificates or credentials and prevents untrusted users from accessing the network.

One of the main security mechanisms to use when using RADIUS is server certificate verification, which ensures that a user connects to the desired network by configuring their device to authenticate to RADIUS simply by verifying the server certificate to be. If the certificate is not what the device requires, it will not return a certificate or authentication certificate. This prevents users from becoming vulnerable to Evil Twin proxy attacks.

A RADIUS server can also be used to authenticate users from another organization. Solutions such as EduROM use a RADIUS server as a proxy (e.g., RADSEC). If the student attends a nearby university, the RADIUS server can verify his status with the parent university and give him secure access to the university’s website.

Key points to remember

• The RADIUS server is the decision point for devices trying to access the secure side of the network
• The RADIUS server communicates with identity providers to authenticate, authorize, and report connections

Why do you need a RADIUS server for 802.1X?

802.1X requires a RADIUS server with a dedicated certificate verification server. The authentication side of 802.1X actually happens on the RADIUS server. The server checks the authorized user directory to verify that the client can access the network and passes this information to the controller/access point. Without a RADIUS server, authentication must occur at the access point (with a strong enough login for this purpose). Will need digits).

Identity Store / Directory

The identity store is the entity where usernames and passwords are stored. In most cases, it is Active Directory or perhaps an LDAP server. Almost any RADIUS server can connect to your AD or LDAP and authenticate users. There are a number of caveats to using LDAP, particularly regarding how passwords are hashed on the LDAP server. If your password is not stored in clear text or NTLM hash, you must choose your EAP method carefully as some methods may not be compatible, such as EAP-PEAP. This problem is not caused by the RADIUS server but rather Causes of Password Hashing.

SecureW2 can help you configure SAML to authenticate users to any identity provider to access Wi-Fi. Here are integration guides for some popular products.

• To set up SAML authentication within Google Workspace
• Configuring WPA2-Enterprise with Okta
• For a guide on SAML Authentication using Shibboleth
• To configure WPA2-Enterprise with ADFS

Building a robust WPA2-Enterprise network requires additional work, such as setting up PKI or CA (Certificate Authority) and transparently distributing certificates to users. Contrary to what you might think, you upgrade without buying new hardware can or changing infrastructure. For example, deploying guest access or changing authentication methods can be done without additional infrastructure.

Many organizations have recently changed their EAP approach from PEAP to EAP-TLS after seeing significant improvements in connection times and roaming capabilities. Wireless network performance can be improved without any hardware changes.

Key points to remember

• 802.1X traditionally requires directories (either on-premises or in the cloud) so that RADIUS can communicate to identify each user and the level of access to which they are authorized
• Directories use usernames/passwords, which makes them vulnerable to serious security issues
• You can communicate with the next generation RADIUS.

How does 802.1X authentication work?

The 802.1X authentication process consists of four steps: initialization, initialization, negotiation, and authentication.

1. Initialization

begins when the Authenticator detects a new device and attempts to establish a connection. The authentication port is set to the “Unauthorized” state, meaning that only 802.1X traffic will be accepted, and all other connections will be dropped.

2. The Start

Authenticator starts forwarding EAP requests to the new device, sending the EAP response to the Authenticator. Feedback usually involves the way new devices are introduced. The Authenticator has received the EAP response and sends the RADIUS access request packet to the authentication server.

3. The negotiation

request packet, the authentication server responds with a RADIUS Access Challenge packet containing the approved EAP authentication method for the device. The Authenticator then broadcasts the challenge packet to the authenticating device.

4. After configuring

The EAP method on the authentication device, the authentication server will send configuration profiles for device authentication.

Once the process is complete, the port will be set to “allowed,” and the device will be configured on an 802.1X network.

Key points to remember

• Typically, 802.1X authentication begins with the client requesting access, authenticating the user against the identity provider from the RADIUS server, and granting access to the access point/switch
• User context and device context are considered to prevent certificate theft in real-time.

Bonus: Radius Accounting

The 802.1X RADIUS account includes information logging and session length about authenticated devices on the 802.1X network. Device information, typically a MAC address and port number, is sent as a packet to the account server at the beginning of the session. The server will receive a message indicating the end of the session.

Although it’s not part of the 802.1X authentication process, we get a lot of questions about accounting because RADIUS servers are often referred to as Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) servers.

The VLAN

A VLAN or virtual local area network is a way to configure your network to mimic a local area network with all the management and security benefits it provides.

In essence, VLANs divide your network and organize the security rules on the network. For example, an open/guest network is often placed in a different VLAN than a secure network. This helps ensure that if something goes wrong on a different VLAN, devices and network resources on the same VLAN are unaffected.

A digital certificate simplifies VLAN assignment because the attributes can be encoded in a certificate used by RADIUS for authentication. You can configure the policy to automatically assign a VLAN segment different from “sales.company.com” to anyone with the “uk.company.com” email domain.

MAC authentication

MAC authentication, or MAC address verification, is a simple security measure where you create a list of trusted MAC addresses allowed to access your network.

Unfortunately, MAC addresses are not hard to spoof, so MAC authentication is rarely used at the corporate level.

MAC RADIUS

MAC Radius is a form of MAC authentication. Instead of using a device certificate or certificate authority, Radius verifies and authenticates the MAC address.

The MAC bypass

The main use of Mac bypass is to connect devices that do not support 802.1X (e.g., game consoles, printers, etc.) to a network. However, it is still vulnerable and must be in a different VLAN.

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How do I configure 802.1X on the device?

Configure 802.1X on Windows

You can configure 802.1X on Windows devices in two ways: manually or with device integration software.

Setting up a Windows machine manually requires users to set up a new wireless network, enter a network name, set a security type, adjust network settings, set an authentication method, and more. Many steps must be taken, although it is possible to do it in conjunction. Processes designed for precision yet efficiency are much more complex and difficult than integration software.

With SecureW2, the Windows OS installation process requires users to connect the built-in SSID and open an Internet browser. The user is redirected from SecureW2 to the JoinNow integration software. After clicking JoinNow, a graph will show the progress of the setup. The user will then be asked for their credentials, and the device will be authenticated and credentialed.

Configure 802.1X on macOS

You can configure macOS manually or use integration software to configure 802.1X.

Learn how to set up macOS manually; end users create company profiles, install client security certificates, verify certificates, and adjust network settings. This process is not too difficult for someone with a computer background but for the average web user Because technical knowledge is risky every step of the way.

The SecureW2 JoinNow Suite allows automation, so the end user doesn’t have to complete the process. The setup is similar to the Windows operating system; The end user begins by connecting to the login SSID and opening a browser. Uploading the. DMG file and enter your credentials to start the installation process. The entire setup and authentication take just a few steps, allowing the end user to sit back while the device is set up.

Configure 802.1X on Android

You can configure your Android for 802.1X in two ways: manually through Wi-Fi settings or with the device’s firmware.

Manual configuration through Wi-Fi settings requires creating a network profile, configuring server certificate verification (including downloading the certificate authority and common name used on the RADIUS server), and determining if Device firmware must be used by an application to configure method authentication that configures your organization’s network settings for you.

Configure 802.1X on iOS

Setting up 802.1X authentication for iPhone requires manual device configuration or integration software.

Manual configuration means creating a network profile in Wi-Fi settings and configuring server certificate verification and authentication methods. The embedding software makes this process much easier, as SecureW2 can send a mobile configuration file to your iPhone device and configure your network settings automatically.

Configure 802.1X on Linux

Like other operating systems, there are two ways to configure 802.1X in Linux.

Manual configuration is relatively simple. Open Network Manager, select Edit Connection, find the access point, and click Edit. A new window will open, select the tab showing 802.1X settings and enter your network information.

It is a simple process for the device. If you need to onboard multiple devices (and users), you need SecureW2’s automatic device onboarding software. Click here for more information.

Key points to remember

• 802.1X settings include SSID, EAP type, authentication protocol, certificate/certificate, and trusted server certificate verification from a real RADIUS server (versus a fake pair).
• There are options for automatic configuration through integration software, MDM, or manual configuration.
• For unmanaged/BYOD devices, embedded software can mitigate security risks

802.1X over WPA2-Enterprise

802.1X is the IEEE standard framework for encrypting and authenticating a user attempting to connect to a wired or wireless network. WPA-Enterprise uses TKIP with RC4 encryption, while WPA2-Enterprise adds AES encryption.

Vulnerabilities in 802.1X

No security protocol is impenetrable, and 802.1X is no exception.

The most common configurations of 802.1X wireless are WPA-PSK (also known as Pre-Share Key, WPA-Personal) and WPA or WPA2 Enterprise.

PSK is the simplest and the weakest. Passwords are configured at the access point and distributed to network users. It is designed primarily for personal use at home. It breaks easily with normal brute force attacks and is susceptible to all other normal attacks.

Enterprise-grade wireless networks are generally not compromised by brute-force attacks because they require complex passwords and policies to be reset by a network administrator. Specific Vulnerabilities Authentication standards used by corporate networks are different depending on the.

PEAP MSCHAPv 2 was once the industry standard for WPA2-Enterprise networks, but it has been cracked. Many organizations still use this standard, although real-time attacks have inherent vulnerabilities.

EAP-TTLS/PAP is another common standard that is also highly vulnerable to air attack. This is especially vulnerable because credentials are sent in the clear, making them easy for hackers to intercept and steal. The increasing popularity of Cloud Radius servers exacerbates this problem. Much only support EAP-TTLS/PAP, requiring end users to send their credentials unencrypted over the Internet.

The strongest WPA2-enterprise standard is EAP-TLS. It relies on asymmetric encryption of digital certificates for authentication, making it impervious to real-time attacks. Even if a hacker intercepts the traffic, it takes half of the public-private key pair, which is useless without the other half.

Key points to remember

• Leaving the 802.1X configuration to the end user risks misconfiguration and compromises Security.
• It’s very important to trust a good RADIUS server on a bad peer, but it’s not required in 802.1X, so ensure certificate verification is always enabled.
• Certificate-based EAP methods such as PEAP-MSCHAPv2 or EAP/TTLS-PAP are weak – switch to certificate-based EAP-TLS – Microsoft and other industry leaders recommend switching to certificates

The best enterprise 802.1X solution

The Security of your network is the Security of your organization. Why would you leave your network unsecured if you wouldn’t leave the lock on your front door?

Some of the largest companies in the world rely on SecureW2 to deliver the highest level of Security and peace of mind. Our software solutions can be seamlessly integrated into your network infrastructure or independently integrated as a fully managed network security service.

We have options available for organizations of all sizes. See our prices for more information.

Key points to remember

• Avoid usernames/passwords, implement 802.1X, and distribute digital certificates
• Decide on the RADIUS connection based on the user device information
• Consider a cloud-native RADIUS solution that integrates with cloud identity without password-based LDAP

MABS to bypass 802.1X

One final note: Some client devices, such as wireless printers, lack the ability to act as 802.1X supplicates, but you can still allow them access to your secure 802.1X network. Some network devices The vendor may allow you to do so through a bypassed MAC (MAB) authentication. With MABS, your authentication server can authenticate a client device using its MAC address instead of the EAPOL authentication process described above.

There are two important things to keep in mind. The first is that MAB is not a standard; It is implemented differently by different web vendors, and some vendors do not support it. Another is that devices accessing the network via MABS bypass a critical layer of Security. Therefore, ensure that these devices have limited access to networks and services as much as possible.

Problems 802.1X Network Access Control Address

The impact of wireless network access, mobility, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), social media, and cloud computing on corporate network resources are enormous. This increased mobility increases the likelihood of exposure to web threats and digital exploits, as illustrated in the following figure. Using 802.1x in such an environment helps improve access security and lower the total cost of ownership.

What can you do with 802.1X network access control?

There are many ways to implement NAC, but the essentials are:

• Advanced Access Control: Block unauthenticated messages.
• Device and User Discovery: Identify users and devices with predefined credentials or computer identifiers.
• Authentication and Authorization: Authorizing authentication and access.
• Integration: The device host provides Security, management, or inspection software.
• Profiling: Analyze endpoints.
• Policy enforcement: Implementing role-based access and permissions.
• Session Logout and Cleanup.

802.1X provides L2 access control by authenticating a user or device attempting to access a physical port.