GSSAPI

Definition

GSSAPI (Generic Security Services Application Programming Interface) is a standard programming interface that allows applications to securely authenticate and exchange data over a network.

Defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in RFC 2743, it provides a consistent API for developers to adopt secure communication in distributed systems.

GSSAPI Procedure Calls Examples

• gss_acquire_cred(): This enables an application to retrieve the data required to authenticate or establish secure communication with another party.
• gss_init_sec_context(): Uses the client’s security credentials to create the initial context token, which is then sent to the server to initiate a security context.
• gss_accept_sec_context(): A server uses a procedure call to accept and process a context token, authenticate the client’s credentials, conduct authentication checks, and generate its context token.
• gss_process_context_token(): The client and the server use this procedure call to process each other’s context tokens.
• gss_wrap(): This procedure call encrypts application data into a secure message, adding a security token to the plaintext data.
• gss_unwrap(): This decrypts a security token, retrieves the original application data, conducts integrity checks, and verifies the message’s authenticity.