An enterprise security architect is reviewing access control operations across different corporate infrastructure components. Match each operational scenario on the left with its corresponding Authentication, Authorization, or Accounting (AAA) functional role on the right.
- A RADIUS server validates an employee's EAP-TLS digital certificate to verify identity before granting entry to the corporate network.Authentication
- A firewall engine checks security group rules to grant or block an authenticated user's access to the production database subnet.Authorization
- A TACACS+ server records the exact CLI commands executed by a network administrator during a switch maintenance window.Accounting (Action Auditing)
- A gateway logging engine tracks session duration, bandwidth utilization, and IP addresses for remote access VPN connections.Accounting (Resource Tracking)
Answer
EAP-TLS certificate validation matches Authentication; checking firewall rules for subnet access matches Authorization; logging specific switch CLI commands matches Accounting (Action Auditing); tracking VPN bandwidth and session duration matches Accounting (Resource Tracking).
Authentication verifies identity through credentials such as digital certificates. Authorization enforces policies that determine what actions an authenticated entity can perform. Accounting logs both explicit administrative actions for auditability and general session metrics for resource tracking.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) functional pillars