How KDC initiate the authentication?

In Kerberos authentication, the KDC (Key Distribution Center) initiates the authentication process when a user requests access to a network resource. The KDC is responsible for verifying the identity of the user and providing the user with a TGT (Ticket Granting Ticket) that can be used to request service tickets for accessing network resources.

The process of how the KDC initiates the authentication involves the following steps:

1. The user sends a request to access a network resource.
2. The user’s computer or device contacts the KDC and requests a TGT for the user.
3. The KDC responds to the request by sending a message known as an AS_REQ (Authentication Service Request) to the user’s computer or device.
4. The user’s computer or device decrypts the AS_REQ message using the user’s password and retrieves a timestamp and a random number (known as a nonce) encrypted within the message.
5. The user’s computer or device combines the timestamp and nonce with the user’s password to create a new message, which is then encrypted using a secret key shared between the user and the KDC.
6. The user’s computer or device sends the encrypted message back to the KDC.
7. The KDC decrypts the message using the shared secret key and verifies that the timestamp and nonce match those originally sent by the KDC.
8. If the timestamps and nonces match, the KDC generates a TGT for the user, encrypts it using the user’s password, and sends it back to the user’s computer or device.
9. The user’s computer or device decrypts the TGT using the user’s password and stores it in memory as a cached credential.
10. The user’s computer or device can use the TGT to request and obtain service tickets for accessing network resources.

By initiating the authentication process and verifying the identity of the user, the KDC ensures that only authorized users can access network resources and that user credentials are protected from unauthorized access or interception.

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