This standard specifies how all or part of a network can be secured transparently to peer protocol entities that use the MAC Service provided by IEEE 802(R) LANs to communicate. MAC security (MACsec) provides connectionless user data confidentiality, frame data integrity, and data origin authenticity.

The scope of this standard is to specify provision of connectionless user data confidentiality, frame data integrity, and data origin authenticity by media access independent protocols and entities that operate transparently to MAC Clients. NOTE--The MAC Clients are as specified in IEEE Std 802, IEEE Std 802.2(TM), IEEE Std 802.1D(TM), IEEE Std 802.1Q(TM), and IEEE Std 802.1X(TM). To this end it a) Specifies the requirements to be satisfied by equipment claiming conformance to this standard. b) Specifies the requirements for MAC Security in terms of provision of the MAC Service and the preservation of the semantics and parameters of service requests and indications. c) Describes the threats, both intentional and accidental, to correct provision of the service. d) Specifies security services that prevent, or restrict, the effect of attacks that exploit these threats. e) Examines the potential impact of both the threats and the use of MAC Security on the Quality of Service (QoS), specify...