Kerberos

Kerberos is an authentication system that uses shared secrets and assumes an involed third party to be secure.

The kerberos protocol uses strong cryptography so that a client can prove its identity to a server and vice versa across an insecure network.

Kerberos is defined in RFC 4120

Types of accounts (principals)

Kerberos defines two types of accounts (principals):

A SPN can be assigned to users or computers.

The client. Usually the user.

The server. Usually a programm offering a service (such as a database etc.)

KDC: The key distribution center. This is the trusted 3rd party used to verify the authenticity of both the client and the server.

The KDC provides two services:

Apparently, klist.exe is a command that can be used in cmd.exe.