Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol

What does Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol mean?

Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP) is a network security protocol that provides strong authentication and encryption for wireless networks. It is based on the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) and uses a two-factor authentication scheme that combines a username and password with a digital certificate. PEAP is widely used in enterprise and public Wi-Fi networks to protect user access to network resources.

The PEAP protocol operates by establishing a secure Tunnel between the client and the authentication server. This tunnel is protected using Transport Layer Security (TLS), which provides encryption and integrity Protection for the data transmitted between the client and the server. Once the tunnel is established, the client presents its credentials to the server. The server verifies the client’s credentials and, if valid, grants the client access to the network.

PEAP offers several advantages over other authentication protocols. First, it provides strong two-factor authentication that helps to prevent unauthorized access to the network. Second, PEAP uses TLS to protect the data transmitted between the client and the server, ensuring that the data is not intercepted or tampered with. Third, PEAP is extensible, which means that it can be used with a variety of different authentication methods, such as smart cards, tokens, and biometrics.

Applications

PEAP is widely used in enterprise and public Wi-Fi networks to protect user access to network resources. It is particularly well-suited for environments where strong authentication and encryption are required, such as in financial institutions, healthcare organizations, and government agencies. PEAP is also used in a variety of other applications, such as:

• Remote access: PEAP can be used to provide secure remote access to corporate networks for employees who are working from home or on the road.
• VPNs: PEAP can be used to establish secure VPN connections between two networks or between a client and a network.
• Wireless networks: PEAP is the most widely used authentication protocol for wireless networks. It provides strong authentication and encryption for Wi-Fi networks, protecting user access from unauthorized access.

History

PEAP was developed by Cisco Systems in 2002. It was originally designed as a more secure alternative to the EAP protocol, which was vulnerable to a variety of attacks. PEAP has since become the most widely used EAP-based authentication protocol.

The latest version of PEAP is PEAPv3, which was released in 2012. PEAPv3 includes a number of new features, such as support for elliptic curve Cryptography and the ability to use multiple authentication factors. PEAPv3 is the recommended version of PEAP for new deployments.