- Simple Authentication and Security Layer
Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) is a
framework forauthentication anddata security in Internet protocols. It decouples authentication mechanisms from application protocols, in theory allowing any authentication mechanism supported by SASL to be used in any application protocol that uses SASL. Authentication mechanisms can also support "proxy authorization", a facility allowing one user to assume the identity of another. Authentication mechanisms can also provide a "data security layer" offering "data integrity" and "data confidentiality" services. DIGEST-MD5 is an example of mechanisms which can provide a data security layer. Application protocols that support SASL typically also supportTransport Layer Security (TLS) to complement the services offered by SASL.SASL was originally specified in RFC 2222, authored by John Gardiner Myers while at
Carnegie Mellon University . That document was obsolesced by RFC 4422, edited by Alexey Melnikov and Kurt Zeilenga.SASL is an
IETF "Standard Track" protocol, presently a "Proposed Standard".SASL Mechanisms
A SASL mechanism is modelled as a series of challenges and responses. Defined SASL mechanisms [http://www.iana.org/assignments/sasl-mechanisms] include:
* "EXTERNAL", where authentication is implicit in the context (e.g., for protocols already usingIPsec or TLS)
* "ANONYMOUS", for unauthenticated guest access
* "PLAIN", a simplecleartext password mechanism. PLAIN obsoleted the LOGIN mechanism.
* "OTP", aone-time password mechanism. OTP obsoleted the SKEY Mechanism.
* "SKEY", anS/KEY mechanism.
* "CRAM-MD5 ", a simple challenge-response scheme based on HMAC-MD5.
* "DIGEST-MD5",HTTP Digest compatible challenge-response scheme based upon MD5. DIGEST-MD5 offers a data security layer.
* "NTLM ", an NT LAN Manager authentication mechanism.
* "GSSAPI", for Kerberos V5 authentication via the GSSAPI. GSSAPI offers a data security layer.
* GateKeeper (& GateKeeperPassport), a challenge-response mechanism developed byMicrosoft forMSN Chat A family of SASL mechanisms is planned to support arbitrary GSSAPI mechanisms.SASL-aware Application Protocols
Application protocols define their representation of SASL exchanges with a "profile". A protocol has a "service name" such as "ldap" in a registry shared with
GSSAPI and Kerberos [http://www.iana.org/assignments/gssapi-service-names] . Protocols currently supporting SASL includeBEEP , IMAP, LDAP, IRCX, POP, SMTP,IMSP , ACAP and XMPP.ee also
*
Transport Layer Security (TLS)External links
* RFC 4422 - Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) - obsoletes RFC 2222
* RFC 4505 - Anonymous Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) Mechanism - obsoletes RFC 2245
* The IETF [http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/sasl-charter.html SASL Working Group] is chartered to revise existing SASL specifications, as well as to develop a family of GSSAPI mechanisms.
* [http://asg.web.cmu.edu/sasl/ CMU SASL Information]
* [http://asg.web.cmu.edu/sasl/sasl-library.html Cyrus SASL] is a free and portable SASL library.
* [http://josefsson.org/gsasl/ GNU SASL] is a free and portable SASL command line utility and library, distributed under theGNU GPLv3 and LGPLv2.1, respectively.
* [http://wiki.dovecot.org/Sasl Dovecot SASL] is a growing SASL implementation.
* RFC 2831 - Using Digest Authentication as a SASL Mechanism
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.