V-273676

Discussion

Without authenticating devices, unidentified or unknown devices may be introduced, thereby facilitating malicious activity. For distributed architectures (e.g., service-oriented architectures), the decisions regarding the validation of authentication claims may be made by services separate from the services acting on those decisions. In such situations, it is necessary to provide authentication decisions (as opposed to the actual authenticators) to the services that need to act on those decisions. This requirement applies to applications that connect either locally, remotely, or through a network to an endpoint device (including, but not limited to, workstations, printers, servers [outside a datacenter], VoIP phones, and VTC codecs). Gateways and SOA applications are examples of where this requirement would apply. Device authentication is a solution enabling an organization to manage devices. It is an additional layer of authentication ensuring only specific pre-authorized devices can access the system.

Check Content

Verify if the switch configuration has 802.1x authentication implemented for all access switch ports connecting to LAN outlets (i.e., RJ-45 wall plates) or devices not located in the telecom room, wiring closets, or equipment rooms. MAC Authentication must be configured on those switch ports connected to devices that do not provide an 802.1x supplicant.

show running-config authentication
  auth-default-vlan 100
  re-authentication
  reauth-period 2000
  dot1x enable
  dot1x enable ethernet 1/1/1 to 1/1/3
  dot1x max-req 6
  dot1x timeout tx-period 60
  dot1x timeout quiet-period 30
  mac-authentication enable
  mac-authentication enable ethernet 1/1/18 to 1/1/19 

If 802.1x authentication or MAC Authentication is not configured on all access switch ports connecting to LAN outlets or devices not located in the telecom room, wiring closets, or equipment rooms, this is a finding.