> # SNMP Version 3

> SNMP Version 3 (SNMPv3) is an interoperable standards-based protocol for network management. SNMPv3 provides secure access to devices by a combination of authenticating and encrypting frames over the network. The security features provided in SNMPv3 are:

> - Message integrity—Ensures that a packet has not been tampered with in-transit.
> - Authentication—Determines the message is from a valid source.
> - Encryption—Scrambles the packet contents to prevent it from being seen by unauthorized sources.

> SNMPv3 provides for both security models and security levels. A security model is an authentication strategy that is set up for a user and the role in which the user resides. A security level is the permitted level of security within a security model. A combination of a security model and a security level determines which security mechanism is employed when handling an SNMP packet.

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