Secure Public Internet Access Handler (SPINACH)

This paper describes a system that controls access to computer networks through publicly accessible LANs, enabling network administrators to authorize users either on a permanent or occasional basis. The system has been designed with minimal assumptions about the software and hardware required of users, and requires very little specialized equipment within the network infrastructure. We enumerate the requirements for such a system, describe the design and implementation of the system, and note tradeoffs between security and efficiency.