Kerberos Kerberos is a network authentication protocol widely used in computer networks to provide secure authentication for users and services over non-secure networks. Developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Kerberos uses strong cryptographic techniques to verify the identities of users and services and to establish secure communication channels between them. Kerberos operates based on a trusted third-party authentication server, known as the Key Distribution Center (KDC), which issues encrypted tickets to users and services to authenticate their identities.
By leveraging symmetric key cryptography, Kerberos enables mutual authentication between clients and servers, preventing unauthorized access and protecting sensitive information from eavesdropping and tampering. Kerberos is a foundational technology in modern network security architectures and is widely supported by operating systems, directory services, and network infrastructure components.