Solaris 8 Features and Benefits: Authentication Management Infrastructure

Authentication Management Infrastructure

Description

The Authentication Management Infrastructure (AMI) enables public keys using a combination of software components and hardware token devices.

Public-key infrastructure services are becoming important general-purpose tools for authentication, authorization, encryption, and digital signatures in a variety of Internet and intranet applications, including secure networking, messaging, and electronic commerce.

Basic Functions

Strong user authentication
Through public-key cryptography and Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAMs)
Key generation
Asymmetric keys: RSA, DSA and DH; symmetric keys: DES, 3DES, RC2, RC4
Key management
Storage of key pairs and certificates in Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directories and files
Cryptographic services
Sign, verify, encrypt, and decrypt capabilities

Requirements

SPARC^TM processor or Intel platform
Solaris^TM 8 Operating Environment only

Key Features

Generates RSA, DSA and DH key pairs
Generates DES, 3DES, RC2, and RC4 session keys
Creates and distributes certificates for a variety of keys including RSA, DH, and DSA
Stores encrypted key pairs and public-key certificates in directory services available at the customer site (LDAP, NIS, NIS+, JDNS, files)
Authentication mechanism based on public-key cryptography used by network layer authentication protocols (e.g., GSS-API, SKIP, SSL, ISAKMP/Oakley)
PAM module enables applications to authenticate users
Provides crypto primitives (sign, verify, encrypt, decrypt)
Supports hardware token devices (e.g., ISO smart cards, Java Cards, iButtons) for crypto operations using private-key
Provides solutions for secure single sign-on

Benefits

Public key infrastructure services are important, general-purpose tools for authentication, authorization, encryption, and digital signatures in a variety of Internet applications.
Supports hardware token devices, such as smart cards, as well as applications including secure networking, messaging, and electronic commerce.