Which of the following describes proving that an individual is who they say they are and is accomplished by a variety of techniques including a username and password?

What's the difference between authentication and authorization? Authentication confirms that users are who they say they are. Authorization gives those users permission to access a resource.

While authentication and authorization might sound similar, they are distinct security processes in the world of identity and access management (IAM).

What Is Authentication?

Authentication is the act of validating that users are whom they claim to be. This is the first step in any security process. 

Complete an authentication process with:

• Passwords. Usernames and passwords are the most common authentication factors. If a user enters the correct data, the system assumes the identity is valid and grants access.
• One-time pins. Grant access for only one session or transaction.
• Authentication apps. Generate security codes via an outside party that grants access.
• Biometrics. A user presents a fingerprint or eye scan to gain access to the system. 

In some instances, systems require the successful verification of more than one factor before granting access. This multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirement is often deployed to increase security beyond what passwords alone can provide.

What Is Authorization?

Authorization in system security is the process of giving the user permission to access a specific resource or function. This term is often used interchangeably with access control or client privilege.

Giving someone permission to download a particular file on a server or providing individual users with administrative access to an application are good examples of authorization.

In secure environments, authorization must always follow authentication. Users should first prove that their identities are genuine before an organization’s administrators grant them access to the requested resources.

Authentication vs. Authorization

Despite the similar-sounding terms, authentication and authorization are separate steps in the login process. Understanding the difference between the two is key to successfully implementing an IAM solution.

Let's use an analogy to outline the differences.

Consider a person walking up to a locked door to provide care to a pet while the family is away on vacation. That person needs:

• Authentication, in the form of a key. The lock on the door only grants access to someone with the correct key in much the same way that a system only grants access to users who have the correct credentials.
• Authorization, in the form of permissions. Once inside, the person has the authorization to access the kitchen and open the cupboard that holds the pet food. The person may not have permission to go into the bedroom for a quick nap. 

Authentication and authorization work together in this example. A pet sitter has the right to enter the house (authentication), and once there, they have access to certain areas (authorization).

Systems implement these concepts in the same way, so it’s crucial that IAM administrators understand how to utilize both:

• Authentication. Let every staff member access your workplace systems if they provide the right credentials in response to your chosen authentication requirements.
• Authorization. Grant permission to department-specific files, and reserve access to confidential data, such as financial information, as needed. Ensure that employees have access to the files they need to do their jobs. 

Understand the difference between authentication and authorization, and implement IAM solutions that have strong support for both. You will protect your organization against data breaches and enable your workforce to be more productive.

Granting Permissions with Okta

Okta Lifecycle Management gives you an at-a-glance view of user permissions, meaning you can easily grant and revoke access to your systems and tools as needed. Meanwhile, Okta Adaptive MFA lets you safeguard your infrastructure behind your choice of authentication factors. 

For example, make production orders accessible only to certain users who may then have to authenticate using both their company credentials and voice recognition. 

The opportunities to streamline IAM in your organization are endless. Find out how Okta can keep you, your employees, and your enterprise safe.

There is a growing demand for different types of user authentication technologies for both online and in physical systems. The motivation to authenticate users ranges from access control reasons to business development purposes like adding e-commerce elements.

Organizations need to understand that passwords are not the only way to authenticate users. There is a wide variety of authentication technologies and an even greater range of activities that require authentication methods.

What Is Authentication?

Authentication is the process of identifying users that request access to a system, network, or device. Access control often determines user identity according to credentials like username and password. Other authentication technologies like biometrics and authentication apps are also used to authenticate user identity.

Why Is User Authentication Important?

User authentication is a method that keeps unauthorized users from accessing sensitive information. For example, User A only has access to relevant information and cannot see the sensitive information of User B. 

Cybercriminals can gain access to a system and steal information when user authentication is not secure. The data breaches companies like Adobe, Equifax, and Yahoo faced are examples of what happens when organizations fail to secure their user authentication. 

Hackers gained access to Yahoo user accounts to steal contacts, calendars and private emails between 2012 and 2016. The Equifax data breach in 2017 exposed credit card data of more than 147 million consumers. Without a secure authentication process, any organization could be at risk.

5 Common Authentication Types

Cybercriminals always improve their attacks. As a result, security teams are facing plenty of authentication-related challenges. This is why companies are starting to implement more sophisticated incident response strategies, including authentication as part of the process. The list below reviews some common authentication methods used to secure modern systems.

1. Password-based authentication

Passwords are the most common methods of authentication. Passwords can be in the form of a string of letters, numbers, or special characters. To protect yourself you need to create strong passwords that include a combination of all possible options. 

However, passwords are prone to phishing attacks and bad hygiene that weakens effectiveness. An average person has about 25 different online accounts, but only 54% of users use different passwords across their accounts. 

The truth is that there are a lot of passwords to remember. As a result, many people choose convenience over security. Most people use simple passwords instead of creating reliable passwords because they are easier to remember. 

The bottom line is that passwords have a lot of weaknesses and are not sufficient in protecting online information. Hackers can easily guess user credentials by running through all possible combinations until they find a match.

2. Multi-factor authentication

MFA authentication methods and technologies increase the confidence of users by adding multiple layers of security. MFA may be a good defense against most account hacks, but it has its own pitfalls. People may lose their phones or SIM cards and not be able to generate an authentication code.

3. Certificate-based authentication

Certificate-based authentication technologies identify users, machines or devices by using digital certificates. A digital certificate is an electronic document based on the idea of a driver’s license or a passport. 

The certificate contains the digital identity of a user including a public key, and the digital signature of a certification authority. Digital certificates prove the ownership of a public key and issued only by a certification authority. 

Users provide their digital certificates when they sign in to a server. The server verifies the credibility of the digital signature and the certificate authority. The server then uses cryptography to confirm that the user has a correct private key associated with the certificate.

4. Biometric authentication

Biometrics authentication is a security process that relies on the unique biological characteristics of an individual. Here are key advantages of using biometric authentication technologies:

• Biological characteristics can be easily compared to authorized features saved in a database. 
• Biometric authentication can control physical access when installed on gates and doors. 
• You can add biometrics into your multi-factor authentication process.

Biometric authentication technologies are used by consumers, governments and private corporations including airports, military bases, and national borders. The technology is increasingly adopted due to the ability to achieve a high level of security without creating friction for the user. Common biometric authentication methods include:

• Facial recognition—matches the different face characteristics of an individual trying to gain access to an approved face stored in a database. Face recognition can be inconsistent when comparing faces at different angles or comparing people who look similar, like close relatives. Facial liveness like ID R&D’s passive facial liveness prevents spoofing.
• Fingerprint scanners—match the unique patterns on an individual’s fingerprints. Some new versions of fingerprint scanners can even assess the vascular patterns in people’s fingers. Fingerprint scanners are currently the most popular biometric technology for everyday consumers, despite their frequent inaccuracies. This popularity can be attributed to iPhones.
• Speaker Recognition —also known as voice biometrics, examines a speaker’s speech patterns for the formation of specific shapes and sound qualities. A voice-protected device usually relies on standardized words to identify users, just like a password.
• Eye scanners—include technologies like iris recognition and retina scanners. Iris scanners project a bright light towards the eye and search for unique patterns in the colored ring around the pupil of the eye. The patterns are then compared to approved information stored in a database. Eye-based authentication may suffer inaccuracies if a person wears glasses or contact lenses.