RADIUS Accounting

RADIUS-ACCT, or Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service Accounting, is a protocol used to track user activities on a network. It is crucial for billing, auditing, and monitoring user access. The service collects data on user sessions, including login times, duration, and data usage.

What is RADIUS Accounting

RADIUS-ACCT, or Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service Accounting, is a protocol designed to collect and manage accounting information for network users. This service is essential for organizations that need to track user activities for billing, auditing, and monitoring purposes. By capturing data such as login times, session durations, and data usage, RADIUS-ACCT helps ensure accurate billing and provides valuable insights into network usage patterns.

Developed as part of the RADIUS protocol suite, RADIUS-ACCT works alongside RADIUS Authentication and Authorization to provide a comprehensive solution for managing network access. The protocol operates over UDP port 1813 and is widely used in various network environments, including ISPs, corporate networks, and educational institutions.

RADIUS-ACCT's ability to provide detailed accounting information makes it a critical component for network administrators. It helps in identifying potential security issues, optimizing network performance, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. The data collected by RADIUS-ACCT can be used to generate reports, analyze trends, and make informed decisions about network management and resource allocation.

RADIUS Accounting runs on TCP and UDP port 1813 and is official IANA port.

Security risk

If port 1813 is open and the RADIUS-ACCT service is running, it could be a target for unauthorized access and data interception. Attackers could potentially manipulate accounting records, leading to inaccurate billing and auditing. Ensuring proper security measures, such as encryption and access controls, is crucial to mitigate these risks.

In our UFW tutorial you can follow instructions how you can configure UFW to close port 1813. Use StackChanges to monitor if the RADIUS Accounting port is closed and stays closed. StackChanges will send an alert if port 1813 is open again.