acticom provides an IEEE 802.1X compliant software stack for OEM manufacturers in source and binary form. The stack comprises all functionality defined in IEEE802.1X-2001 as defined by IEEE. It is available to interested customers in three different variations, either as authenticator, supplicant or fully integrated. The stack is developed in C++ and faces the host operating system by utilising an OS dependent adaptation layer. The stack has been successfully ported to *BSD operating systems, Linux and the Win32 platform. acticom supports its customers in system integration and porting of the stack to specific hardware and software platforms like Symbian OS or Nucleus RTOS.

 

IEEE802.1x is part of the IEEE802.1 standard family that defines management functionality for IEEE802-based networks. It is designed for securing wired and also wireless networks like the IEEE802.11 WLAN standard 802.1x defines a generic framework that is able to use different authentication mechanisms without implementing these mechanisms outside the backend authentication infrastructure and the client devices.

The acticom IEEE802.1X supplicant software module offers the basic functionality for providing secure authentication for client devices (supplicants in IEEE 802.1X terminology). The supplicant module provides generic interfaces for integration into wired and wireless end-system target platforms. The supplicant modules provide a system independent EAP-API for accessing external, dynamic loadable EAP authentication modules. The stack is prepared for currently developed 802.1X extensions like compound binding. acticom offers and develops EAP authentication modules for interested customers including EAP-AKA, EAP-SIM and others. See the EAP related information sites for details. 

	Figure 1: interaction of supplicant, authenticator and backend auth server and blocking device

The acticom IEEE 802.1X compliant authenticator module provides a ready-to-use implementation for integration into terminal access systems like network switches or wireless access points. Beneath the authenticator functionality the stack also provides RADIUS support for accessing a backend authentication infrastructure. IETF related IEEE802.1X/RADIUS interworking extensions have also been included. All acticom 802.1X modules are delivered with a command line interface for easy debugging and system integration. It can also be used as a management interface for accessing all parameters from the 802.1X-Management Information Base.

IEEE802.1X has been chosen by the 802.11i (Enhanced Security) working group as a base for introducing improved security mechanisms to IEEE802.11 based Wireless LANs. acticom will offer enhancements to the basic IEEE802.1X stack resulting in a fully Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and IEEE802.11i compliant stack for integration in WLAN-based products. See our Wi-Fi Protected Access page for details.

 

For further information, feel free to contact us by e-mail or telephone.