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Security Fundamentals & Crypto · Advanced

Media Access Control Security (MACsec)

IEEE 802.1AE standard providing Layer 2 hop-by-hop encryption and integrity on Ethernet links.

Definition

MACsec encrypts frames between directly connected devices using GCM-AES, with keys managed by the MACsec Key Agreement protocol (MKA) defined in 802.1X-2010. It protects against wiretapping and frame injection on LAN and data center links at line rate. Each hop decrypts and re-encrypts, so it is not end to end.

Example

Two data center switches encrypt their interconnect with MACsec GCM-AES-256.

Exam tip

MACsec = Layer 2 link encryption; IPsec = Layer 3; TLS = above transport.

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