Which of the following is a ticket-based authentication protocol designed to provide secure communication?

The correct choice is indeed the ticket-based authentication protocol, which is Kerberos. Kerberos operates on a system of tickets that allows nodes to prove their identity securely over a non-secure network. This is crucial for ensuring that both users and services can authenticate each other without risking exposure to various types of network attacks.

In the Kerberos protocol, when a user wants to access a service, they first authenticate themselves to the Key Distribution Center (KDC), which then issues a ticket-granting ticket (TGT). The user can then use this TGT to request access to various services without needing to re-enter their credentials every time. This method enhances security and helps manage credentials effectively by limiting the need for password exchanges across the network.

The overall framework of Kerberos supports mutual authentication, ensuring that both ends of a communication channel can verify each other’s identity, thus providing a secure method for communication across a network. This capability makes it essential for corporate environments where security is paramount.

Other protocols mentioned serve different purposes: SSH, for instance, is primarily used for secure remote access rather than a ticket-based framework; RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) focuses on centralized authentication for network access; OAuth is an authorization framework that enables applications to