Final answer:
Kerberos is the windows domain-based protocol that provides mutual authentication between devices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is a. Kerberos. Kerberos is a Windows domain-based protocol that provides mutual authentication between devices. It uses a client/server model and relies on a trusted third-party server known as the Key Distribution Center (KDC).
When a user logs into a device, Kerberos verifies the user's identity and creates a session ticket that can be used to authenticate the user to other devices in the domain.
For example, let's say a user wants to access a file on a file server within a Windows domain. The client device contacts the KDC to obtain a session ticket. The client presents this ticket to the file server, which verifies it with the KDC to ensure that the user is authenticated and authorized to access the file. This mechanism provides mutual authentication between the client device and the file server, ensuring the security and integrity of the communication.