Layer 7 authentication using layer 2 or layer 3 authentication

摘要

A system and method for authenticating a layer 7 client application (application layer) based on a layer 2 (data link layer) or a layer 3 (network layer) authentication is provided. A request to authenticate to a network is received from a communication device. The request to authenticate to the network is for a layer 2 or layer 3 authentication. The communication device is authenticated to the network based on having the necessary credentials.;A request is received to authenticate a layer 7 client application running on the communication device. The layer 7 client application running on the communication device requires a layer 7 authentication. The layer 7 client application running on the communication device is authenticated based on the layer 2 or layer 3 authentication.

主权项

1. A method for authenticating a communication device at Open System Interconnection (OSI) layer 7 based on an (OSI) layer 2 or (OSI) layer 3 authentication comprising:
receiving, at a processor, a first request from the communication device to authenticate to a network, wherein the first request to authenticate to the network is for a layer 2 or layer 3 authentication; authenticating the communication device to the network using credentials associated with the communication device; storing authentication information for the communication device after successfully authenticating the communication device to the network; receiving, at the processor, a second request to authenticate a first layer 7 client application running on the communication device, wherein the first layer 7 client application running on the communication device requires a layer 7 authentication; retrieving the authentication information for the communication device; authenticating the first layer 7 client application running on the communication device based on the layer 2 or layer 3 authentication; creating one or more credentials for authenticating the first layer 7 client application running on the communication device, wherein the one or more credentials indicate that the communication device is authenticated to the network and wherein the one or more credentials for authenticating the first layer 7 client application comprises an indication to forgo any encryption at layer 6 based on the communication device being authenticated to the network at layer 2 or layer 3; sending the one or more credentials to a server; and allowing access to a layer 7 server application corresponding to the first layer 7 client application.