# Authentication Plugins

- [Pluggable Authentication Overview](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/pluggable-authentication-overview.md): Pluggable authentication allows MariaDB to use various authentication methods, enabling external validation, different hashing algorithms, and role-based access control.
- [Authentication Plugin - caching\_sha2\_password](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-plugin-caching_sha2_password.md)
- [Authentication Plugin - ed25519](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-plugin-ed25519.md): The ed25519 authentication plugin provides high-security password authentication using the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm, a modern alternative to SHA-1.
- [Authentication Plugin - GSSAPI](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-plugin-gssapi.md): Complete GSSAPI authentication setup: Kerberos/SSPI single sign-on, INSTALL SONAME 'auth\_gssapi', gssapi\_keytab\_path/principal\_name, CREATE USER syntax.
- [Authentication Plugin - mysql\_native\_password](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-plugin-mysql_native_password.md): Complete Authentication Plugin - mysql\_native\_password guide for MariaDB. Complete reference documentation for implementation, configuration, and usage.
- [Authentication Plugin - mysql\_old\_password](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-plugin-mysql_old_password.md): This plugin provides backward compatibility for pre-4.1 clients using an older, insecure password hashing algorithm and should not be used for new installations.
- [Authentication Plugin - Named Pipe](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-plugin-named-pipe.md): The named\_pipe authentication plugin allows Windows users connecting via named pipes to authenticate using their operating system credentials without a password.
- [Authentication Plugin - PARSEC](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-plugin-parsec.md): PARSEC is a modern, secure authentication plugin that uses salted passwords and elliptic curve cryptography to prevent replay attacks and secure user credentials.
- [Authentication Plugin - SHA-256](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-plugin-sha-256.md): The SHA-256 authentication plugin uses the SHA-256 hashing algorithm for password storage, offering stronger security than the default SHA-1 method.
- [Authentication Plugin - Unix Socket](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-plugin-unix-socket.md): Official Unix socket authentication: OS user login via SO\_PEERCRED/uid matching, CREATE USER IDENTIFIED VIA unix\_socket, and unix\_socket force modes.
- [Authentication with Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM)](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-with-pluggable-authentication-modules-pam.md): Learn about authentication with Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) in MariaDB Server. This section details how to integrate MariaDB with PAM for centralized and flexible user authentication.
- [Authentication Plugin - PAM](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-with-pluggable-authentication-modules-pam/authentication-plugin-pam.md): The PAM authentication plugin delegates password validation to the operating system's PAM framework, enabling integration with LDAP, Kerberos, and other services.
- [Configuring PAM Authentication and User Mapping with LDAP Authentication](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-with-pluggable-authentication-modules-pam/configuring-pam-authentication-and-user-mapping-with-ldap-authentication.md): Learn to configure the PAM plugin to authenticate users via LDAP and map LDAP groups to MariaDB accounts using the pam\_user\_map module.
- [Configuring PAM Authentication and User Mapping with Unix Authentication](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-with-pluggable-authentication-modules-pam/configuring-pam-authentication-and-user-mapping-with-unix-authentication.md): This guide shows how to authenticate database users using local Unix accounts and map Unix groups to MariaDB users with the PAM plugin.
- [User and Group Mapping with PAM](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/plugins/authentication-plugins/authentication-with-pluggable-authentication-modules-pam/user-and-group-mapping-with-pam.md): The pam\_user\_map PAM module allows administrators to map external PAM users and groups to specific MariaDB accounts for flexible authorization management.


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