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INFO-DIR-SECTION Kerberos
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
* krb5-user: (krb5-user).               Kerberos V5 UNIX User's Guide
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File: krb5-user.info,  Node: Kerberos Glossary,  Next: Copyright,  Prev: Kerberos V5 Reference,  Up: Top

Kerberos Glossary
*****************

client
     an entity that can obtain a ticket.  This entity is usually either
     a user or a host.

host
     a computer that can be accessed over a network.

Kerberos
     in Greek mythology, the three-headed dog that guards the entrance
     to the underworld.  In the computing world, Kerberos is a network
     security package that was developed at MIT.

KDC
     Key Distribution Center.  A machine that issues Kerberos tickets.

keytab
     a key table file containing one or more keys.  A host or service
     uses a "keytab" file in much the same way as a user uses his/her
     password.

principal
     a string that names a specific entity to which a set of
     credentials may be assigned.  It can have an arbitrary number of
     components, but generally has three:

    primary
          the first part of a Kerberos principal.  In the case of a
          user, it is the username.  In the case of a service, it is
          the name of the service.

    instance
          the second part of a Kerberos principal.  It gives
          information that qualifies the primary.  The instance may be
          null.  In the case of a user, the instance is often used to
          describe the intended use of the corresponding credentials.
          In the case of a host, the instance is the fully qualified
          hostname.

    realm
          the logical network served by a single Kerberos database and
          a set of Key Distribution Centers.  By convention, realm
          names are generally all uppercase letters, to differentiate
          the realm from the internet domain.

     The typical format of a typical Kerberos principal is
     primary/instance@REALM.

service
     any program or computer you access over a network.  Examples of
     services include "host" (a host, e.g., when you use `telnet' and
     `rsh'), "ftp" (FTP), "krbtgt" (authentication; cf. ticket-granting
     ticket), and "pop" (email).

ticket
     a temporary set of electronic credentials that verify the identity
     of a client for a particular service.

TGT
     Ticket-Granting Ticket.  A special Kerberos ticket that permits the
     client to obtain additional Kerberos tickets within the same
     Kerberos realm.

