MAC Authentication Bypass
One of the method to control your network is using MAB feature. It is helpful in case you have devices without dot1x functionality. Today I will try to implement basic configuration and analyze log messages.
There is only one switch SW1 and one device attached to port Fa1/0/2.
!
aaa new-model
aaa authentication dot1x default group radius
!
!
int Fas1/0/2
authentication host-mode single-host
authentication port-control auto
mab
!
I haven’t configured ACS yet but let’s see what error message I receive:
SW1(config-if)#
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Received MAB context create from AuthMgr
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Created MAB client context 0x1100000F
mab : initial state mab_initialize has enter
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Sending create new context event to EAP from MAB for 0x1100000F (0000.0000.0000)
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_START' on handle 0x1100000F
mab : during state mab_initialize, got event 4(mabStart)
@@@ mab : mab_initialize -> mab_acquiring
SW1(config-if)#
%LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface FastEthernet1/0/2, changed state to up
SW1(config-if)#
mab-ev: Received NEW MAC (8843.e1e3.b1f0) for 0x1100000F
%AUTHMGR-5-START: Starting 'mab' for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 88011309000000060085099E
SW1(config-if)#
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_AVAILABLE' on handle 0x1100000F
mab : during state mab_acquiring, got event 7(mabAvailable)
@@@ mab : mab_acquiring -> mab_authorizing
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Starting MAC-AUTH-BYPASS for 0x1100000F (8843.e1e3.b1f0)
SW1(config-if)#
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): MAB received an Access-Reject for 0x1100000F (8843.e1e3.b1f0)
%MAB-5-FAIL: Authentication failed for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 88011309000000060085099E
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_RESULT' on handle 0x1100000F
mab : during state mab_authorizing, got event 5(mabResult)
@@@ mab : mab_authorizing -> mab_terminate
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Deleted credentials profile for 0x1100000F (dot1x_mac_auth_8843e1e3b1f0)
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Sending event (2) to AuthMGR for 8843.e1e3.b1f0
%AUTHMGR-7-RESULT: Authentication result 'server dead' from 'mab' for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 88011309000000060085099E
%AUTHMGR-5-FAIL: Authorization failed for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 88011309000000060085099E
SW1(config-if)#
On ACS I see following error message:
“RADIUS Request dropped: 11007 Could not locate Network Device or AAA Client”
I have to add the SW1 to the Network Device list and then check the result once again.
SW1#
%SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Received MAB context create from AuthMgr
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Created MAB client context 0x2D000010
mab : initial state mab_initialize has enter
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Sending create new context event to EAP from MAB for 0x2D000010 (0000.0000.0000)
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_START' on handle 0x2D000010
mab : during state mab_initialize, got event 4(mabStart)
@@@ mab : mab_initialize -> mab_acquiring
SW1#
%LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface FastEthernet1/0/2, changed state to up
SW1#
mab-ev: Received NEW MAC (8843.e1e3.b1f0) for 0x2D000010
%AUTHMGR-5-START: Starting 'mab' for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000700875369
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_AVAILABLE' on handle 0x2D000010
mab : during state mab_acquiring, got event 7(mabAvailable)
@@@ mab : mab_acquiring -> mab_authorizing
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Starting MAC-AUTH-BYPASS for 0x2D000010 (8843.e1e3.b1f0)
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): MAB received an Access-Reject for 0x2D000010 (8843.e1e3.b1f0)
%MAB-5-FAIL: Authentication failed for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000700875369
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_RESULT' on handle 0x2D000010
mab : during state mab_authorizing, got event 5(mabResult)
@@@ mab : mab_authorizing -> mab_terminate
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Deleted credentials profile for 0x2D000010 (dot1x_mac_auth_8843e1e3b1f0)
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Sending event (2) to AuthMGR for 8843.e1e3.b1f0
%AUTHMGR-7-RESULT: Authentication result 'no-response' from 'mab' for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000700875369
%AUTHMGR-7-FAILOVER: Failing over from 'mab' for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000700875369
%AUTHMGR-7-NOMOREMETHODS: Exhausted all authentication methods for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000700875369
%AUTHMGR-5-FAIL: Authorization failed for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000700875369
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_DELETE' on handle 0x2D000010
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Received ABORT event from Auth Mgr for 0x2D000010 (8843.e1e3.b1f0)
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Deleted credentials profile for 0x2D000010 (dot1x_mac_auth_8843e1e3b1f0)
mab-ev: Freed MAB client context
SW1#
On ACS I see:
“Authentication failed: 22056 Subject not found in the applicable identity store(s)”
To fix the problem I have to add the mac address to the hosts database:
Users and Identity Stores->Internal Identity Stores->Hosts
One mandatory step here is letting know the Access Policy that the default identity was extended to hosts. We can change it by adding:
a) Users and Identity Stores->Identity Stores Sequences - create a new IS add hosts to available identity stores
b) Access Policies->Access Services->Default Network Access->Identity- and change Identity Source to the new one
Let’s test it once again:
SW1(config-if)#
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Received MAB context create from AuthMgr
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Created MAB client context 0xF5000018
mab : initial state mab_initialize has enter
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Sending create new context event to EAP from MAB for 0xF5000018 (0000.0000.0000)
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_START' on handle 0xF5000018
mab : during state mab_initialize, got event 4(mabStart)
@@@ mab : mab_initialize -> mab_acquiring
SW1(config-if)#
%LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface FastEthernet1/0/2, changed state to up
SW1(config-if)#
mab-ev: Received NEW MAC (8843.e1e3.b1f0) for 0xF5000018
%AUTHMGR-5-START: Starting 'mab' for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 8801130900000009008EDC11
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_AVAILABLE' on handle 0xF5000018
mab : during state mab_acquiring, got event 7(mabAvailable)
@@@ mab : mab_acquiring -> mab_authorizing
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Starting MAC-AUTH-BYPASS for 0xF5000018 (8843.e1e3.b1f0)
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): MAB received an Access-Accept for 0xF5000018 (8843.e1e3.b1f0)
%MAB-5-SUCCESS: Authentication successful for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 8801130900000009008EDC11
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_RESULT' on handle 0xF5000018
mab : during state mab_authorizing, got event 5(mabResult)
@@@ mab : mab_authorizing -> mab_terminate
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Deleted credentials profile for 0xF5000018 (dot1x_mac_auth_8843e1e3b1f0)
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Sending event (2) to AuthMGR for 8843.e1e3.b1f0
%AUTHMGR-7-RESULT: Authentication result 'success' from 'mab' for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 8801130900000009008EDC11
%LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet1/0/2, changed state to up
%AUTHMGR-5-SUCCESS: Authorization succeeded for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 8801130900000009008EDC11
As we see the result now is ‘success’.
SW1#sh mab all
MAB details for FastEthernet1/0/2
-------------------------------------
Mac-Auth-Bypass = Enabled
SW1#sh authentication sessions interface Fa1/0/2
Interface: FastEthernet1/0/2
MAC Address: 8843.e1e3.b1f0
IP Address: Unknown
User-Name: 88-43-E1-E3-B1-F0
Status: Authz Success
Domain: DATA
Security Policy: Should Secure
Security Status: Unsecure
Oper host mode: single-host
Oper control dir: both
Authorized By: Authentication Server
Vlan Group: N/A
Session timeout: N/A
Idle timeout: N/A
Common Session ID: 8801130900000009008EDC11
Acct Session ID: 0x00000009
Handle: 0xA1000009
Runnable methods list:
Method State
mab Authc Success
SW1#
The second option for mab is using EAP-MD5 authentication. The password (mac address) is encrypted but from security perspective it doesn’t improve anything.
interface FastEthernet1/0/2
mab eap
You should remember that now the device has to be in ‘hosts’ database with username and password = mac address. Be careful with password because it is case sensitive !
SW1#clear authentication sessions
SW1#
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Received MAB context create from AuthMgr
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Created MAB client context 0xE7000025
mab : initial state mab_initialize has enter
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Sending create new context event to EAP from MAB for 0xE7000025 (0000.0000.0000)
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_START' on handle 0xE7000025
mab : during state mab_initialize, got event 4(mabStart)
@@@ mab : mab_initialize -> mab_acquiring
SW1#
mab-ev: Received NEW MAC (8843.e1e3.b1f0) for 0xE7000025
%AUTHMGR-5-START: Starting 'mab' for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000E00AD9407
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_AVAILABLE' on handle 0xE7000025
mab : during state mab_acquiring, got event 7(mabAvailable)
@@@ mab : mab_acquiring -> mab_authorizing
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Starting MAC-AUTH-BYPASS for 0xE7000025 (8843.e1e3.b1f0)
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): MAB received an Access-Accept for 0xE7000025 (8843.e1e3.b1f0)
%MAB-5-SUCCESS: Authentication successful for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000E00AD9407
mab-sm(Fa1/0/2): Received event 'MAB_RESULT' on handle 0xE7000025
mab : during state mab_authorizing, got event 5(mabResult)
@@@ mab : mab_authorizing -> mab_terminate
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Deleted credentials profile for 0xE7000025 (dot1x_mac_auth_8843e1e3b1f0)
mab-ev(Fa1/0/2): Sending event (2) to AuthMGR for 8843.e1e3.b1f0
%AUTHMGR-7-RESULT: Authentication result 'success' from 'mab' for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000E00AD9407
%LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet1/0/2, changed state to up
%AUTHMGR-5-SUCCESS: Authorization succeeded for client (8843.e1e3.b1f0) on Interface Fa1/0/2 AuditSessionID 880113090000000E00AD9407
SW1#
SW1#sh authentication sessions interface fa1/0/2
Interface: FastEthernet1/0/2
MAC Address: 8843.e1e3.b1f0
IP Address: Unknown
User-Name: 8843e1e3b1f0
Status: Authz Success
Domain: DATA
Security Policy: Should Secure
Security Status: Unsecure
Oper host mode: single-host
Oper control dir: both
Authorized By: Authentication Server
Vlan Group: N/A
Session timeout: N/A
Idle timeout: N/A
Common Session ID: 880113090000000E00AD9407
Acct Session ID: 0x0000000E
Handle: 0x5D00000E
Runnable methods list:
Method State
mab Authc Success
SW1#sh mab all
MAB details for FastEthernet1/0/2
-------------------------------------
Mac-Auth-Bypass = Enabled (EAP)
SW1#
For ‘mab’ following radius attributes are used:
Authentication Method = Lookup; Service-Type = Call Check
and for ‘mab eap’:
Authentication Method = CHAP/MD5; Service-Type = Framed
- very good documentation about mab: