Authentication in mobile distributed environment

Information and communication technology is on the threshold of a new style of computing. First, the telecommunications industry is witnessing the development of Personal Communication Systems that are 'person-specific' with person to person logical connections. Second, the computer industry is in the phase of practical implementation of distributed systems concepts. In particular, the notion of open systems is a major driving force. Use of mobile personal systems in a open distributed environment raises several issues with regard to information security and system dependability. This paper addresses one key aspect of information security in such a mobile distributed environment namely that of authentication. We consider the nature of the security threat, and how it may arise in practical situations. then we describe the characteristics of the required authentication security service to counteract this threat. In particular, we outline some of the common mechanisms that can be used to provide authentication. We illustrate these issues by considering some scenarios in the areas of mobile personal information systems and client server based distributed systems, and show how the authentication mechanisms can be used to counteract the masquerading threat.