MIT Kerberos Documentation


MIT Kerberos Features

http://web.mit.edu/kerberos

Quick facts

Latest stable version 1.10  
Supported versions 1.8.6, 1.9.3, 1.10  
Release cycle 9 - 12 months  
Supported platforms/OS distributions
Solaris
  • SPARC
  • x86_64/x86
GNU/Linux
  • Debian x86_64/x86
  • Ubuntu x86_64/x86
  • RedHat x86_64/x86
BSD
  • NetBSD x86_64/x86
 
Crypto backends
  • OpenSSL 1.0+
  • builtin
  • NSS 3.12.9+
Database backends
  • LDAP
  • DB2
 
krb4 support < 1.8  
DES support configurable http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/Disable_DES
GSS-API S4U extensions
1.8+
  • S4U2Self
  • S4U2Proxy
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc246071
GSS-API naming extensions 1.8+ http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-kitten-gssapi-naming-exts-11
GSS-API extensions for storing delegated credentials 1.8+ RFC 5588
License MIT Kerberos License information  

Interoperabiity

Microsoft

Starting from version 1.7:

  • Follow client principal referrals in the client library when obtaining initial tickets.
  • KDC can issue realm referrals for service principals based on domain names.
  • Extensions supporting DCE RPC, including three-leg GSS context setup and unencapsulated GSS tokens inside SPNEGO.
  • Microsoft GSS_WrapEX, implemented using the gss_iov API, which is similar to the equivalent SSPI functionality. This is needed to support some instances of DCE RPC.
  • NTLM recognition support in GSS-API, to facilitate dropping in an NTLM implementation for improved compatibility with older releases of Microsoft Windows.
  • KDC support for principal aliases, if the back end supports them. Currently, only the LDAP back end supports aliases.
  • Support Microsoft set/change password (RFC 3244) protocol in kadmind.
  • Implement client and KDC support for GSS_C_DELEG_POLICY_FLAG, which allows a GSS application to request credential delegation only if permitted by KDC policy.

Starting from version 1.8:

  • Microsoft Services for User (S4U) compatibility`

Heimdal

  • Support for reading Heimdal database starting from version 1.8

Feature list

Available Additional information
Credentials delegation 1.7 RFC 5896
Cross-realm authentication and referrals 1.7 http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-krb-wg-kerberos-referrals-12
Master key migration 1.7 http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/Master_Key_Migration
PKINIT 1.7 RFC 4556
Anonymous PKINIT 1.8 RFC 6112 http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/Anonymous_pkinit
Constrained delegation 1.8 http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/ConstrainedDelegation
IAKERB 1.8 http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-krb-wg-iakerb-02
Heimdal bridge plugin for KDC backend 1.8  
Advance warning on password expiry 1.9  
Camellia encryption (CTS-CMAC mode) 1.9 experimental http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-krb-wg-camellia-cts-00
KDC support for SecurID preauthentication 1.9 http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/SecurID_SAM_support
kadmin over IPv6 1.9  
Trace logging 1.9 http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/Trace_logging
GSSAPI/KRB5 multi-realm support    
Plugin to test password quality 1.9 http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/Password_quality_pluggable_interface
Plugin to synchronize password changes 1.9  
Parallel KDC 1.9  
GS2 1.9 RFC 5801 RFC 5587 http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/GS2
Purging old keys 1.9  
Naming extensions for delegation chain 1.9  
Password expiration API 1.9  
Windows client support (build-only) 1.9  
pre-auth mechanisms:    
  • PW-SALT
  RFC 4120
  • ENC-TIMESTAMP
  RFC 4120
  • SAM-2
   
  • FAST negotiation framework
1.8 RFC 6113
  • PKINIT with FAST on client
1.10 RFC 6113
  • PKINIT
  RFC 4556
  • FX-COOKIE
  RFC 6113
  • S4U-X509-USER
1.8 http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc246091
PRNG    
  • modularity:
1.9  
  • Yarrow PRNG
< 1.10  
  • Fortuna PRNG
1.9 http://www.schneier.com/book-practical.html
  • OS PRNG
1.10 OS’s native PRNG
Zero configuration    
IPv6 support in iprop    
Plugin interface for configuration 1.10 http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/Pluggable_configuration
Credentials for multiple identities 1.10 http://k5wiki.kerberos.org/wiki/Projects/Client_principal_selection