Overview
ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-1AE:2020/Cor 1:2021 is a technical corrigendum to the MAC security standard (commonly known as MACsec) for local and metropolitan area networks. Published jointly by ISO, IEC and IEEE (identical to IEEE Std 802.1AE-2018/Cor 1-2020), this corrigendum addresses editorial and figure corrections - notably the Tag Control Information figure - and consolidates the ISO/IEEE cover, foreword and related editorial changes. The underlying standard specifies how network links can be secured transparently at the Media Access Control (MAC) layer to provide confidentiality, integrity and authenticity for Ethernet frames.
Key topics
- MAC security (MACsec): Connectionless protection for Ethernet traffic at the MAC Service level.
- Security services: Data frame confidentiality, frame integrity, and data origin authenticity as core objectives.
- Tag Control Information: Corrigendum updates/clarifies the Tag Control Information figure used in frame processing and security tagging (technical/illustrative correction).
- Standards harmonization: Adopted via ISO/IEC JTC 1 in collaboration with IEEE, reflecting joint international standardization practice.
- Document maintenance: Clarifies editorial elements (cover page, foreword) and removes obsolete pages as noted in the corrigendum.
Applications
This corrigendum - and the MACsec standard it amends - is relevant where link-layer security is required without changing higher-layer protocols or applications. Practical uses include:
- Securing Ethernet links between switches, routers and endpoints in enterprise LANs and MANs.
- Protecting traffic in data centers, campus networks and service-provider metro networks.
- Implementations in network interface cards (NICs), switches, bridges and network operating systems to enforce port-based security.
- Compliance reference for network security architects, product vendors, firmware developers and systems integrators.
Who should consult this corrigendum:
- Network architects and security engineers implementing MACsec.
- Hardware and software vendors producing MACsec-capable devices.
- Test labs and conformance auditors validating MAC layer security behavior.
- Standards librarians and procurement teams specifying IEEE/ISO-aligned requirements.
Related standards
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-1AE:2020 (MACsec main standard)
- IEEE Std 802.1AE (MAC Security)
- Other IEEE 802.1 family standards for bridging, VLANs and network management
Keywords: ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-1AE, MACsec, IEEE 802.1AE, MAC security, Tag Control Information, LAN security, data confidentiality, data integrity, network standards.
