Which component in an 802.1X architecture handles user credentials and policy decisions?

• A. Supplicant
• B. Authenticator
• C. Central authentication server
• D. All of the above

Answer: (C)

In 802.1X, the central authentication server handles user credentials and policy decisions. The supplicant provides credentials, but it is the authentication server (often a RADIUS server) that verifies them against a directory and applies access policies, determining what level of access to grant and what network restrictions to apply. The authenticator (switch or wireless AP) simply forwards EAP messages and enforces the result from the server, not the credentials or policies themselves. So the central authentication server is the component responsible for credential validation and policy decisions.