Subject: [eap] Issue: Document meaning of successful authentication

From: [email-masked] ([email-masked])
Date: Fri, 2 May 2003 19:06:39 +0300

Document meaning of successful authentication
Submitter name: Pasi Eronen
Submitter email address: [email-masked]
Date first submitted: May 2, 2003
Reference: -
Document: RFC2284bis
Comment type: both?
Priority: 1
Section: 1.2 (and possibly others)
Rationale/Explanation of issue:

It seems that in EAP we're using the word "authentication"=20
in somewhat non-standard sense, and I feel we should document=20
it.=20

Here's a first draft of text for section 1.2 (terminology):

"Successful authentication
  =20
   In the context of this document, "successful authentication"
   is an exchange of EAP messages, as a result of which the
   authenticator decides to allow access for the peer, and the
   peer decides to use this access.

   This definition differs from the usual definitions of
   authentication (e.g. "verification of claimed identity"),
   since the authenticator may decide to deny access even when
   the identity of the peer is known and verified, or vice versa
   (allow access when the identity of the peer is not verified).

   Furthermore, even if the authenticator decides to allow access,
   the peer may consider the exchange a failure if it has not
   successfully verified that it is talking to the intended
   authenticator."

Do you think this captures the meaning accurately?=20
(It might require some small changes somewhere else=20
in the document, I can try to find them...)

Best regards,
Pasi