7 Network Working Group B. Aboba
8 Request for Comments: 2618 G. Zorn
9 Category: Standards Track Microsoft
13 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB
17 This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
18 Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
19 improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
20 Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
21 and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
25 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999). All Rights Reserved.
29 This memo defines a set of extensions which instrument RADIUS
30 authentication client functions. These extensions represent a portion
31 of the Management Information Base (MIB) for use with network
32 management protocols in the Internet community. Using these
33 extensions IP-based management stations can manage RADIUS
34 authentication clients.
38 This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB)
39 for use with network management protocols in the Internet community.
40 In particular, it describes managed objects used for managing RADIUS
41 authentication clients.
43 Today a wide range of network devices, including routers and NASes,
44 act as RADIUS authentication clients in order to provide
45 authentication and authorization services. As a result, the effective
46 management of RADIUS authentication clients is of considerable
58 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 1]
60 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
63 2. The SNMP Management Framework
65 The SNMP Management Framework presently consists of five major
68 o An overall architecture, described in RFC 2571 [1].
70 o Mechanisms for describing and naming objects and events for the
71 purpose of management. The first version of this Structure of
72 Management Information (SMI) is called SMIv1 and described in
73 STD 16, RFC 1155 [2], STD 16, RFC 1212 [3] and RFC 1215 [4].
74 The second version, called SMIv2, is described in STD 58, RFC
75 2578 [5], RFC 2579 [6] and RFC 2580 [7].
77 o Message protocols for transferring management information. The
78 first version of the SNMP message protocol is called SNMPv1 and
79 described in STD 15, RFC 1157 [8]. A second version of the
80 SNMP message protocol, which is not an Internet standards
81 track protocol, is called SNMPv2c and described in RFC 1901
82 [9] and RFC 1906 [10]. The third version of the message
83 protocol is called SNMPv3 and described in RFC 1906 [10], RFC
84 2572 [11] and RFC 2574 [12].
86 o Protocol operations for accessing management information. The
87 first set of protocol operations and associated PDU formats is
88 described in STD 15, RFC 1157 [8]. A second set of protocol
89 operations and associated PDU formats is described in RFC 1905
92 o A set of fundamental applications described in RFC 2573 [14] and
93 the view-based access control mechanism described in RFC 2575
96 Managed objects are accessed via a virtual information store, termed
97 the Management Information Base or MIB. Objects in the MIB are
98 defined using the mechanisms defined in the SMI.
100 This memo specifies a MIB module that is compliant to the SMIv2. A
101 MIB conforming to the SMIv1 can be produced through the appropriate
102 translations. The resulting translated MIB must be semantically
103 equivalent, except where objects or events are omitted because no
104 translation is possible (use of Counter64). Some machine readable
105 information in SMIv2 will be converted into textual descriptions in
106 SMIv1 during the translation process. However, this loss of machine
107 readable information is not considered to change the semantics of the
114 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 2]
116 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
121 The RADIUS authentication protocol, described in [16], distinguishes
122 between the client function and the server function. In RADIUS
123 authentication, clients send Access-Requests, and servers reply with
124 Access-Accepts, Access-Rejects, and Access-Challenges. Typically NAS
125 devices implement the client function, and thus would be expected to
126 implement the RADIUS authentication client MIB, while RADIUS
127 authentication servers implement the server function, and thus would
128 be expected to implement the RADIUS authentication server MIB.
130 However, it is possible for a RADIUS authentication entity to perform
131 both client and server functions. For example, a RADIUS proxy may act
132 as a server to one or more RADIUS authentication clients, while
133 simultaneously acting as an authentication client to one or more
134 authentication servers. In such situations, it is expected that
135 RADIUS entities combining client and server functionality will
136 support both the client and server MIBs.
138 3.1. Selected objects
140 This MIB module contains two scalars as well as a single table:
142 (1) the RADIUS Authentication Server Table contains one row for
143 each RADIUS authentication server that the client shares a
146 Each entry in the RADIUS Authentication Server Table includes fifteen
147 columns presenting a view of the activity of the RADIUS
148 authentication client.
152 RADIUS-AUTH-CLIENT-MIB DEFINITIONS ::= BEGIN
155 MODULE-IDENTITY, OBJECT-TYPE, OBJECT-IDENTITY,
156 Counter32, Integer32, Gauge32,
157 IpAddress, TimeTicks, mib-2 FROM SNMPv2-SMI
158 SnmpAdminString FROM SNMP-FRAMEWORK-MIB
159 MODULE-COMPLIANCE, OBJECT-GROUP FROM SNMPv2-CONF;
161 radiusAuthClientMIB MODULE-IDENTITY
162 LAST-UPDATED "9906110000Z" -- 11 Jun 1999
163 ORGANIZATION "IETF RADIUS Working Group."
170 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 3]
172 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
179 Phone: +1 425 936 6605
180 EMail: bernarda@microsoft.com"
182 "The MIB module for entities implementing the client
183 side of the Remote Access Dialin User Service (RADIUS)
184 authentication protocol."
185 REVISION "9906110000Z" -- 11 Jun 1999
186 DESCRIPTION "Initial version as published in RFC 2618"
187 ::= { radiusAuthentication 2 }
189 radiusMIB OBJECT-IDENTITY
192 "The OID assigned to RADIUS MIB work by the IANA."
195 radiusAuthentication OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= {radiusMIB 1}
197 radiusAuthClientMIBObjects OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::=
198 { radiusAuthClientMIB 1 }
200 radiusAuthClient OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { radiusAuthClientMIBObjects 1 }
202 radiusAuthClientInvalidServerAddresses OBJECT-TYPE
207 "The number of RADIUS Access-Response packets
208 received from unknown addresses."
209 ::= { radiusAuthClient 1 }
211 radiusAuthClientIdentifier OBJECT-TYPE
212 SYNTAX SnmpAdminString
216 "The NAS-Identifier of the RADIUS authentication client.
217 This is not necessarily the same as sysName in MIB II."
218 ::= { radiusAuthClient 2 }
220 radiusAuthServerTable OBJECT-TYPE
221 SYNTAX SEQUENCE OF RadiusAuthServerEntry
222 MAX-ACCESS not-accessible
226 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 4]
228 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
233 "The (conceptual) table listing the RADIUS authentication
234 servers with which the client shares a secret."
235 ::= { radiusAuthClient 3 }
237 radiusAuthServerEntry OBJECT-TYPE
238 SYNTAX RadiusAuthServerEntry
239 MAX-ACCESS not-accessible
242 "An entry (conceptual row) representing a RADIUS
243 authentication server with which the client shares
245 INDEX { radiusAuthServerIndex }
246 ::= { radiusAuthServerTable 1 }
248 RadiusAuthServerEntry ::= SEQUENCE {
249 radiusAuthServerIndex Integer32,
250 radiusAuthServerAddress IpAddress,
251 radiusAuthClientServerPortNumber Integer32,
252 radiusAuthClientRoundTripTime TimeTicks,
253 radiusAuthClientAccessRequests Counter32,
254 radiusAuthClientAccessRetransmissions Counter32,
255 radiusAuthClientAccessAccepts Counter32,
256 radiusAuthClientAccessRejects Counter32,
257 radiusAuthClientAccessChallenges Counter32,
258 radiusAuthClientMalformedAccessResponses Counter32,
259 radiusAuthClientBadAuthenticators Counter32,
260 radiusAuthClientPendingRequests Gauge32,
261 radiusAuthClientTimeouts Counter32,
262 radiusAuthClientUnknownTypes Counter32,
263 radiusAuthClientPacketsDropped Counter32
266 radiusAuthServerIndex OBJECT-TYPE
267 SYNTAX Integer32 (1..2147483647)
268 MAX-ACCESS not-accessible
271 "A number uniquely identifying each RADIUS
272 Authentication server with which this client
274 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 1 }
276 radiusAuthServerAddress OBJECT-TYPE
282 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 5]
284 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
289 "The IP address of the RADIUS authentication server
290 referred to in this table entry."
291 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 2 }
293 radiusAuthClientServerPortNumber OBJECT-TYPE
294 SYNTAX Integer32 (0..65535)
298 "The UDP port the client is using to send requests to
300 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 3 }
302 radiusAuthClientRoundTripTime OBJECT-TYPE
307 "The time interval (in hundredths of a second) between
308 the most recent Access-Reply/Access-Challenge and the
309 Access-Request that matched it from this RADIUS
310 authentication server."
311 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 4 }
313 -- Request/Response statistics
315 -- TotalIncomingPackets = Accepts + Rejects + Challenges + UnknownTypes
317 -- TotalIncomingPackets - MalformedResponses - BadAuthenticators -
318 -- UnknownTypes - PacketsDropped = Successfully received
320 -- AccessRequests + PendingRequests + ClientTimeouts =
321 -- Successfully Received
325 radiusAuthClientAccessRequests OBJECT-TYPE
330 "The number of RADIUS Access-Request packets sent
331 to this server. This does not include retransmissions."
332 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 5 }
334 radiusAuthClientAccessRetransmissions OBJECT-TYPE
338 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 6]
340 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
347 "The number of RADIUS Access-Request packets
348 retransmitted to this RADIUS authentication server."
349 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 6 }
351 radiusAuthClientAccessAccepts OBJECT-TYPE
356 "The number of RADIUS Access-Accept packets
357 (valid or invalid) received from this server."
358 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 7 }
360 radiusAuthClientAccessRejects OBJECT-TYPE
365 "The number of RADIUS Access-Reject packets
366 (valid or invalid) received from this server."
367 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 8 }
369 radiusAuthClientAccessChallenges OBJECT-TYPE
374 "The number of RADIUS Access-Challenge packets
375 (valid or invalid) received from this server."
376 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 9 }
378 -- "Access-Response" includes an Access-Accept, Access-Challenge
381 radiusAuthClientMalformedAccessResponses OBJECT-TYPE
386 "The number of malformed RADIUS Access-Response
387 packets received from this server.
388 Malformed packets include packets with
389 an invalid length. Bad authenticators or
390 Signature attributes or unknown types are not
394 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 7]
396 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
399 included as malformed access responses."
400 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 10 }
402 radiusAuthClientBadAuthenticators OBJECT-TYPE
407 "The number of RADIUS Access-Response packets
408 containing invalid authenticators or Signature
409 attributes received from this server."
410 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 11 }
412 radiusAuthClientPendingRequests OBJECT-TYPE
417 "The number of RADIUS Access-Request packets
418 destined for this server that have not yet timed out
419 or received a response. This variable is incremented
420 when an Access-Request is sent and decremented due to
421 receipt of an Acess-Accept, Access-Reject or
422 Access-Challenge, a timeout or retransmission."
423 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 12 }
425 radiusAuthClientTimeouts OBJECT-TYPE
430 "The number of authentication timeouts to this server.
431 After a timeout the client may retry to the same
432 server, send to a different server, or
433 give up. A retry to the same server is counted as a
434 retransmit as well as a timeout. A send to a different
435 server is counted as a Request as well as a timeout."
436 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 13 }
438 radiusAuthClientUnknownTypes OBJECT-TYPE
443 "The number of RADIUS packets of unknown type which
444 were received from this server on the authentication port."
445 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 14 }
450 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 8]
452 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
455 radiusAuthClientPacketsDropped OBJECT-TYPE
460 "The number of RADIUS packets of which were
461 received from this server on the authentication port
462 and dropped for some other reason."
463 ::= { radiusAuthServerEntry 15 }
466 -- conformance information
468 radiusAuthClientMIBConformance
469 OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { radiusAuthClientMIB 2 }
470 radiusAuthClientMIBCompliances
471 OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { radiusAuthClientMIBConformance 1 }
472 radiusAuthClientMIBGroups
473 OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { radiusAuthClientMIBConformance 2 }
476 -- compliance statements
478 radiusAuthClientMIBCompliance MODULE-COMPLIANCE
481 "The compliance statement for authentication clients
482 implementing the RADIUS Authentication Client MIB."
483 MODULE -- this module
484 MANDATORY-GROUPS { radiusAuthClientMIBGroup }
486 ::= { radiusAuthClientMIBCompliances 1 }
489 -- units of conformance
491 radiusAuthClientMIBGroup OBJECT-GROUP
492 OBJECTS { radiusAuthClientIdentifier,
493 radiusAuthClientInvalidServerAddresses,
494 radiusAuthServerAddress,
495 radiusAuthClientServerPortNumber,
496 radiusAuthClientRoundTripTime,
497 radiusAuthClientAccessRequests,
498 radiusAuthClientAccessRetransmissions,
499 radiusAuthClientAccessAccepts,
500 radiusAuthClientAccessRejects,
501 radiusAuthClientAccessChallenges,
502 radiusAuthClientMalformedAccessResponses,
506 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 9]
508 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
511 radiusAuthClientBadAuthenticators,
512 radiusAuthClientPendingRequests,
513 radiusAuthClientTimeouts,
514 radiusAuthClientUnknownTypes,
515 radiusAuthClientPacketsDropped
519 "The basic collection of objects providing management of
520 RADIUS Authentication Clients."
521 ::= { radiusAuthClientMIBGroups 1 }
527 [1] Harrington, D., Presuhn, R., and B. Wijnen, "An Architecture for
528 Describing SNMP Management Frameworks", RFC 2571, April 1999.
530 [2] Rose, M., and K. McCloghrie, "Structure and Identification of
531 Management Information for TCP/IP-based Internets", STD 16, RFC
534 [3] Rose, M., and K. McCloghrie, "Concise MIB Definitions", STD 16,
535 RFC 1212, March 1991.
537 [4] Rose, M., "A Convention for Defining Traps for use with the
538 SNMP", RFC 1215, Performance Systems International, March 1991.
540 [5] McCloghrie, K., Perkins, D., Schoenwaelder, J., Case, J., Rose,
541 M. and S. Waldbusser, "Structure of Management Information
542 Version 2 (SMIv2)", STD 58, RFC 2578, April 1999.
544 [6] McCloghrie, K., Perkins, D., Schoenwaelder, J., Case, J., Rose,
545 M. and S. Waldbusser, "Textual Conventions for SMIv2", STD 58,
546 RFC 2579, April 1999.
548 [7] McCloghrie, K., Perkins, D., Schoenwaelder, J., Case, J., Rose,
549 M. and S. Waldbusser, "Conformance Statements for SMIv2", STD
550 58, RFC 2580, April 1999.
552 [8] Case, J., Fedor, M., Schoffstall, M., and J. Davin, "Simple
553 Network Management Protocol", STD 15, RFC 1157, May 1990.
555 [9] Case, J., McCloghrie, K., Rose, M., and S. Waldbusser,
556 "Introduction to Community-based SNMPv2", RFC 1901, January
562 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 10]
564 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
567 [10] Case, J., McCloghrie, K., Rose, M., and S. Waldbusser,
568 "Transport Mappings for Version 2 of the Simple Network
569 Management Protocol (SNMPv2)", RFC 1906, January 1996.
571 [11] Case, J., Harrington D., Presuhn R., and B. Wijnen, "Message
572 Processing and Dispatching for the Simple Network Management
573 Protocol (SNMP)", RFC 2572, April 1999.
575 [12] Blumenthal, U., and B. Wijnen, "User-based Security Model for
576 Version 3 of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMPv3)",
577 RFC 2574, April 1999.
579 [13] Case, J., McCloghrie, K., Rose, M., and S. Waldbusser, "Protocol
580 Operations for Version 2 of the Simple Network Management
581 Protocol (SNMPv2)", RFC 1905, January 1996.
583 [14] Levi, D., Meyer, P., and B. Stewart, "SNMP Applications", RFC
586 [15] Wijnen, B., Presuhn, R., and K. McCloghrie, "View-based Access
587 Control Model for the Simple Network Management Protocol
588 (SNMP)", RFC 2575, April 1999.
590 [16] Rigney, C., Rubens, A., Simpson W. and S. Willens, "Remote
591 Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS)", RFC 2138, April
594 6. Security Considerations
596 There are no management objects defined in this MIB that have a MAX-
597 ACCESS clause of read-write and/or read-create. So, if this MIB is
598 implemented correctly, then there is no risk that an intruder can
599 alter or create any management objects of this MIB via direct SNMP
602 There are a number of managed objects in this MIB that may contain
603 sensitive information. These are:
605 radiusAuthServerAddress
606 This can be used to determine the address of the RADIUS
607 authentication server with which the client is
608 communicating. This information could be useful in
609 mounting an attack on the authentication server.
611 radiusAuthClientServerPortNumber This can be used to determine the
612 port number on which the RADIUS authentication client is
613 sending. This information could be useful in impersonating
614 the client in order to send data to the authentication
618 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 11]
620 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
625 It is thus important to control even GET access to these objects and
626 possibly to even encrypt the values of these object when sending them
627 over the network via SNMP. Not all versions of SNMP provide features
628 for such a secure environment.
630 SNMPv1 by itself is not a secure environment. Even if the network
631 itself is secure (for example by using IPSec), there is no control as
632 to who on the secure network is allowed to access and GET/SET
633 (read/change/create/delete) the objects in this MIB.
635 It is recommended that the implementers consider the security
636 features as provided by the SNMPv3 framework. Specifically, the use
637 of the User-based Security Model RFC 2574 [12] and the View-based
638 Access Control Model RFC 2575 [15] is recommended. Using these
639 security features, customer/users can give access to the objects only
640 to those principals (users) that have legitimate rights to GET or SET
641 (change/create/delete) them.
645 The authors acknowledge the contributions of the RADIUS Working Group
646 in the development of this MIB. Thanks to Narendra Gidwani of
647 Microsoft, Allan C. Rubens of MERIT, Carl Rigney of Livingston and
648 Peter Heitman of American Internet Corporation for useful discussions
649 of this problem space.
651 8. Authors' Addresses
654 Microsoft Corporation
659 EMail: bernarda@microsoft.com
663 Microsoft Corporation
668 EMail: glennz@microsoft.com
674 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 12]
676 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
679 9. Intellectural Property Statement
681 The IETF takes no position regarding the validity or scope of any
682 intellectual property or other rights that might be claimed to
683 pertain to the implementation or use of the technology described in
684 this document or the extent to which any license under such rights
685 might or might not be available; neither does it represent that it
686 has made any effort to identify any such rights. Information on the
687 IETF's procedures with respect to rights in standards-track and
688 standards-related documentation can be found in BCP-11. Copies of
689 claims of rights made available for publication and any assurances of
690 licenses to be made available, or the result of an attempt made to
691 obtain a general license or permission for the use of such
692 proprietary rights by implementors or users of this specification can
693 be obtained from the IETF Secretariat.
695 The IETF invites any interested party to bring to its attention any
696 copyrights, patents or patent applications, or other proprietary
697 rights which may cover technology that may be required to practice
698 this standard. Please address the information to the IETF Executive
730 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 13]
732 RFC 2618 RADIUS Authentication Client MIB June 1999
735 10. Full Copyright Statement
737 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999). All Rights Reserved.
739 This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to
740 others, and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it
741 or assist in its implmentation may be prepared, copied, published and
742 distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction of any kind,
743 provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph are
744 included on all such copies and derivative works. However, this
745 document itself may not be modified in any way, such as by removing
746 the copyright notice or references to the Internet Society or other
747 Internet organizations, except as needed for the purpose of
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749 copyrights defined in the Internet Standards process must be
750 followed, or as required to translate it into languages other than
753 The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be
754 revoked by the Internet Society or its successors or assigns.
756 This document and the information contained herein is provided on an
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758 TASK FORCE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
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765 Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the
786 Aboba & Zorn Standards Track [Page 14]