2. Password Authentication Protocol

The Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) provides a simple method for the peer to establish its identity using a 2-way handshake. This is done only upon initial link establishment.

After the Link Establishment phase is complete, an Id/Password pair is repeatedly sent by the peer to the authenticator until authentication is acknowledged or the connection is terminated.

PAP is not a strong authentication method. Passwords are sent over the circuit "in the clear", and there is no protection from playback or repeated trial and error attacks. The peer is in control of the frequency and timing of the attempts.

Any implementations which include a stronger authentication method (such as CHAP, described below) MUST offer to negotiate that method prior to PAP.

This authentication method is most appropriately used where a plaintext password must be available to simulate a login at a remote host. In such use, this method provides a similar level of security to the usual user login at the remote host.

Implementation Note: It is possible to limit the exposure of the plaintext password to transmission over the PPP link, and avoid sending the plaintext password over the entire network. When the remote host password is kept as a one-way transformed value, and the algorithm for the transform function is implemented in the local server, the plaintext password SHOULD be locally transformed before comparison with the transformed password from the remote host.

• 2.1. Configuration Option Format
• 2.2. Packet Format
  • 2.2.1. Authenticate-Request
  • 2.2.2. Authenticate-Ack and Authenticate-Nak