Password Authentication Protocol

This article looks at PAP as a subset of PPP. Another meaning is the Apple Printer Access Protocol .

The Password Authentication Protocol ( PAP ) is a method for authentication using the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) and is described in RFC 1334 . It was widely used for dialing in to network operators ( ISPs ) with modems .

With PAP, the password for authentication is transmitted unencrypted together with the user ID. It can thus be spied out through passive listening . This insecure possibility is countered by the more complex CHAP protocol . With this method, access is checked through encryption and decryption of a random number .

Web links

• RFC 1334 - PPP Authentication Protocols