TACACS vs TACACS+

Rashmi Bhardwaj | Blog,BUZZ,Protocol,Security
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TACACS VS TACACS+

 

TACACS and TACACS+ are the 2 widely talked about protocols engaged in handling remote authentication and services for access control. Let’s quickly touch base both TACACS and TACACS+ before discussing their differences –

TACAS

TACACS is defined in RFC 1492 standard and supports both TCP and UDP protocols on port number 49. TACACS permits a client to accept a username and password and send a query to a TACACS authentication server.

Related – TACAS Configuration for Netscreen Firewall

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TACACS is a comparatively an old protocol and not compatible with its successor TACACS+.

TACACS+

TACACS+ has replaced TACACS and provides benefit by separating the functions of Authentication, Authorization and Accounting and by encrypting all traffic between the NAS and the daemon.

Related – Create free TACACs+ Server on Ubuntu Machine

Further, TACACS+ is modular in design and supports plug-in authentication, authorization, and accounting schemes etc.

Difference between both TACACS and TACACS+ 

PARAMETERTACACSTACACS+
Abbreviation for
Terminal Access Controller Access Control System
Terminal Access Controller Access Control System Plus
Standard
Open Standard
Cisco proprietary
PasswordsTACACS does not support prompting for a password change or for the use of dynamic password tokens.
TACACS+ provides for dynamic passwords, two-factor authentication and improved audit functions
Protocols supported
Uses both TCP and UDP
Uses TCP
Ports4949
Incorporated in
19841993
Kerberos secret key authentication
Not supported
Supported

 

Download the difference table here.

-tacacs-vs-tacacs

 

 

 

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