Watchguard Network Security Practice Test

Which authentication methods require specifying a search base?

1. RADIUS

2. Active Directory

3. SecurID

4. LDAP

The correct answer is: Active Directory

The correct answer is Active Directory because when authenticating against an Active Directory (AD) server, it is necessary to define a search base within the directory structure. The search base specifies the point in the hierarchy from which the authentication queries will start, allowing the system to locate the user accounts effectively. This is essential because AD is structured in an organizational unit (OU) hierarchy, and the search base helps to limit the scope of the search to improve efficiency and performance in finding relevant user info. In contrast, RADIUS and SecurID protocols do not require a search base because they operate differently in terms of user authentication. RADIUS is a protocol that communicates with a central server to authenticate users without needing a specific directory structure, while SecurID typically relies on a token-based authentication approach that does not involve searching within a directory. Similarly, LDAP does involve specifying a search base for querying directory entries, but the question specifically considers which method among the options is most associated with and commonly requires a search base, making Active Directory the most fitting choice in this context.