Authenticating using passwords and tickets

Helix Server supports two methods of authentication: password-based and ticket-based. Although it might be more accurate to say that you can use password-only authentication or authentication that uses passwords and associated tickets.

Password-only authentication is based on plain-text passwords that do not expire and that are passed around when the user executes a command.
Ticket-based authentication is based on tickets that are issued for a given amount of time and are generated after the user has logged in with a valid password. After log in, the ticket is used to authenticate the user (rather than the password being passed around).

Warning

Although ticket-based authentication is more secure than password-based authentication, it does not encrypt network traffic between client workstations and the Helix Server.

To encrypt network traffic between client workstations and the Helix Server, configure your installation to use SSL. See Using SSL to encrypt connections to a Helix Server.