Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) is a framework for authentication and data security in Internet protocols. It decouples authentication mechanisms from application protocols, in theory allowing any authentication mechanism supported by SASL to be used in any application protocol that uses SASL. Authentication mechanisms can also support proxy authorization, a facility allowing one user to assume the identity of another. They can also provide a data security layer offering data integrity and data confidentiality services. DIGEST-MD5 provides an example of mechanisms which can provide a data-security layer. Application protocols that support SASL typically also support Transport Layer Security (TLS) to complement the services offered by SASL.
In 1997 John Gardiner Myers wrote the original SASL specification (RFC 2222) while at Carnegie Mellon University. In 2006 that document was made obsolete by RFC 4422, edited by Alexey Melnikov and Kurt Zeilenga.
SASL is an IETF Standard Track protocol and is, as of 2010, a Proposed Standard.
Read more about Simple Authentication And Security Layer: SASL Mechanisms, SASL-aware Application Protocols
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