In some
computer security
Computer security, cybersecurity (cyber security), or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems and networks from attack by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, the ...
systems, a Ticket Granting Ticket or Ticket to Get Tickets (TGT) is a small,
encrypted identification file with a limited validity period. After
authentication, this file is granted to a user for data traffic protection by the
key distribution center {{cleanup, date=November 2011
In cryptography, a key distribution center (KDC) is part of a cryptosystem intended to reduce the risks inherent in exchanging keys. KDCs often operate in systems within which some users may have permission to use cer ...
(KDC) subsystem of authentication services such as
Kerberos. The TGT file contains the
session key, its expiration date, and the user's
IP address
An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as that is connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.. Updated by . An IP address serves two main functions: network interface ident ...
, which protects the user from
man-in-the-middle attacks.
The TGT is used to obtain a service ticket from Ticket Granting Service (TGS). User is granted access to network services only after this service ticket is provided.
{{Authentication APIs
Key management
Computer access control protocols
Authentication protocols
Key transport protocols
Computer network security