Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)

Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) #

Enables two point-to-point devices to connect, authenticate with a user and password, and negotiate the network protocol the two devices will use.

Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) #

Simply transmits the username and password over the connection in plaintext.

Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) #

Relies on hashes based on a shared secret, usually a password that both ends of the connection know.

  1. Initiator initiates connection
  2. Authenticator creates challenge message
  3. The initiator makes a hash using the password; sends to authenticator
  4. Authenticator compares the value to its own hash calculation based on the password.
  5. If they match, the initiator is authenticated.
  6. CHAP periodically refreshes the connection by repeatin the authentication process.
    • This prevents man in the middle attacks.
  • MS-CHAP and MS-CHAPv2
    • Still most common form of authentication protocol for dial-up connections
    • Most secure
    • Microsoft

Resources #

Wikipedia - Point-to-Point Protocol