Authentication mechanisms in grid computing environment: Comparative study

For the reason that grid resources are valuable, access is usually limited, based on the requested resource and the requesting user´s identity. Authentication in distributed systems like grid computing environment is the first defense line before other security aspects; authorization, confidentiality, integrity and auditing. The main grid authentication mechanisms challenges are single sign-on, secure credential repositories, and cross-domain authentication. This paper presents a comparative study of various authentication mechanisms in grid computing environment to investigate their pros and cons. Such analysis is particularly relevant for those seeking an intensive assessment to appropriate grid authentication mechanisms.