Authentication

Synonyms

Credential verification; Identity proof

Related Concepts

Access Control from an OS Security Perspective; Biometric Authentication

Definition

Authentication is the process of verifying an entity’s identity, given its credentials. The entity could be in the form of a person, a computer, a device, a group of network computers, etc.

Background

The need for authentication started with computers and as technology evolved and networks became more common, it gained more importance. In order to ensure a secure communication, computers need to authenticate each other.

The oldest and simplest method to provide authentication is password login. As communication systems are becoming more sophisticated, more rigorous schemes are needed to achieve authentication.

Theory

Authentication aims at proving an entity is really the one that he claims to be. Fundamentally, four methods are used to achieve authentication: something an entity knows (e.g., password), something an entity has (e.g., id...