EAP-TLS
¿Qué es EAP-TLS?
EAP-TLSAn EAP authentication method (RFC 5216) that mutually authenticates an 802.1X supplicant and a RADIUS server with X.509 certificates over a TLS handshake — the gold standard for enterprise Wi-Fi and wired NAC.
EAP-TLS, defined in RFC 5216, is the EAP method used by 802.1X-authenticated networks (enterprise Wi-Fi, wired NAC) to mutually authenticate a supplicant (client) and an authentication server (typically RADIUS) using X.509 certificates. The handshake is essentially a TLS handshake tunnelled inside EAP frames between the supplicant and the RADIUS server (with the access point or switch acting as transparent authenticator), with both parties presenting client and server certificates. Because there is no password to phish, lose, or reuse, EAP-TLS is widely considered the gold standard for enterprise network access — it eliminates entire classes of attacks (Evil Twin / Karma password-stealing rogue APs, MS-CHAP downgrade, RADIUS shared-secret abuse) and provides phishing-resistant authentication at the L2/L3 boundary. Operational cost is higher than EAP-PEAP-MSCHAPv2 because it requires PKI: issuing, distributing, renewing, and revoking client certificates for users and devices, typically via Intune SCEP/NDES, Jamf, AD CS, or a SaaS PKI. EAP-TLS is required by many zero-trust network-access designs and recommended by NCSC, CISA, and SANS for wireless authentication.
● Ejemplos
- 01
An enterprise issues per-device client certificates via Intune SCEP and configures Wi-Fi profiles to authenticate with EAP-TLS to a RADIUS cluster — no passwords leave the device.
- 02
A pen-test of a corporate wireless network finds it uses EAP-TLS only, so the rogue-AP credential-capture phase of the engagement is effectively a no-op.
● Preguntas frecuentes
¿Qué es EAP-TLS?
An EAP authentication method (RFC 5216) that mutually authenticates an 802.1X supplicant and a RADIUS server with X.509 certificates over a TLS handshake — the gold standard for enterprise Wi-Fi and wired NAC. Pertenece a la categoría de Seguridad de red en ciberseguridad.
¿Qué significa EAP-TLS?
An EAP authentication method (RFC 5216) that mutually authenticates an 802.1X supplicant and a RADIUS server with X.509 certificates over a TLS handshake — the gold standard for enterprise Wi-Fi and wired NAC.
¿Cómo funciona EAP-TLS?
EAP-TLS, defined in RFC 5216, is the EAP method used by 802.1X-authenticated networks (enterprise Wi-Fi, wired NAC) to mutually authenticate a supplicant (client) and an authentication server (typically RADIUS) using X.509 certificates. The handshake is essentially a TLS handshake tunnelled inside EAP frames between the supplicant and the RADIUS server (with the access point or switch acting as transparent authenticator), with both parties presenting client and server certificates. Because there is no password to phish, lose, or reuse, EAP-TLS is widely considered the gold standard for enterprise network access — it eliminates entire classes of attacks (Evil Twin / Karma password-stealing rogue APs, MS-CHAP downgrade, RADIUS shared-secret abuse) and provides phishing-resistant authentication at the L2/L3 boundary. Operational cost is higher than EAP-PEAP-MSCHAPv2 because it requires PKI: issuing, distributing, renewing, and revoking client certificates for users and devices, typically via Intune SCEP/NDES, Jamf, AD CS, or a SaaS PKI. EAP-TLS is required by many zero-trust network-access designs and recommended by NCSC, CISA, and SANS for wireless authentication.
¿Cómo defenderse de EAP-TLS?
Las defensas contra EAP-TLS combinan habitualmente controles técnicos y prácticas operativas, como se detalla en la definición.
¿Cuáles son otros nombres para EAP-TLS?
Nombres alternativos comunes: RFC 5216, 802.1X EAP-TLS.
● Términos relacionados
- network-security№ 572
IEEE 802.1X
Estándar de control de acceso a red basado en puerto que autentica al dispositivo o usuario antes de permitir el tráfico en un puerto cableado o inalámbrico.
- network-security№ 1000
RADIUS
Protocolo AAA ampliamente desplegado que utilizan los equipos de red para autenticar, autorizar y contabilizar el acceso de usuarios o dispositivos.
- network-security№ 1279
TLS (Transport Layer Security)
Protocolo criptográfico estandarizado por el IETF que aporta confidencialidad, integridad y autenticación al tráfico entre dos aplicaciones en red.
- network-security№ 1280
Handshake TLS
Intercambio inicial del protocolo Transport Layer Security que autentica al servidor (y opcionalmente al cliente) y deriva las claves simétricas que cifran el resto de la sesión.
- attacks№ 439
Ataque gemelo malvado
Ataque Wi-Fi en el que el adversario levanta un punto de acceso pirata que imita un SSID legítimo, para que las víctimas se conecten y expongan tráfico o credenciales.
- network-security№ 1380
WPA2
Segunda generación de Wi-Fi Protected Access, basada en AES-CCMP e IEEE 802.11i, que ha sido el estándar de facto de seguridad Wi-Fi desde 2004.