Authentication and authorization are topics that often get confused. The key to understanding these concepts is that authentication verifies identity and authorization determines what a verified user can do.
Think of it like a door lock; once a person is authenticated they can enter, but they don’t have permission to go into the bedroom for a nap. The same goes for accessing data and systems.
Understanding the Differences
Though the two terms are often used interchangeably and are both crucial components of web security, authentication and authorization serve very different purposes. Authentication confirms identity, such as by a login or password, while authorization determines which files or tasks the user is authorized to engage with after they are authenticated.
Something you know is usually a password or answer to a security question, but could also be a fingerprint scan, facial recognition, or even a one-time pin generated by your phone or other device for a specific transaction. These factors are called “knowledge-based” because they rely on information that only the user knows or has access to.
Something you are or have is typically a biometric factor like a fingerprint or retinal scan, a voice or face recognition signal, or behavioral biometrics such as analysis of your gait or the delay in keystrokes to your password being typed. Inherence factor is another form of authentication that utilizes the unique characteristics of a person or machine to verify their identity, such as their gait or the time of day they are most active.
The best practices for both authentication and authorization are layered, meaning that you should use multiple methods of verification. This is not to confuse ease of use for users—users shouldn’t be required to carry around a wallet full of keys or memorize complicated passwords—but because hackers are becoming more sophisticated, using multiple layers is the only way to keep them out.
Definitions
The terms authentication and authorization sound similar, but they play different roles in securing systems. Authentication verifies the identity of a user, while authorization determines what tasks the individual can do or what files they can access.
Authentication is usually done using login credentials such as a username and password. This is known as password authentication, and it is the most popular form of a secure login method. However, there are more advanced methods to verify a user’s identity that use biometric data such as facial features or voice, or even an authentication token.
Once a user successfully passes authentication procedures, the system will then grant access to the application or online service. However, that doesn’t mean they can instantly view all of the company’s data. It means they are only allowed to see what they need to do their job, so that if thieves manage to get their credentials, it won’t allow them to easily steal sensitive business information.
Authorization is also a process in which a server verifies the permissions of an individual to access specific resources, and oftentimes it’s done using the three-part model of actor, action, resource (or CRUD as this is sometimes abbreviated in software development). The actor refers to a user who is trying to interact with the system, the action is what they are attempting to do, and the resource refers to what they are looking at.
Authentication: The First Line of Defense
While it’s often reported that hackers are getting better at breaking into computers and stealing data, a strong authentication program can help prevent them. Authentication refers to the process of verifying identity, which can include multiple factors including login credentials, facial features, voice and more. These elements verify that a person is who they say they are and ensures that the person is not a bot or other malicious attacker.
Authentication is the first step in ensuring that no one else can access your systems and steal private data. Without it, even the best passwords (which should always be stored securely) will be useless against attacks like phishing and credential stuffing.
After verification, the next step is authorization, which determines what a verified person can or cannot do in a system. This is done by determining what types of files and programs they can access. This includes ensuring that no one can access sensitive information or systems, such as customer banking or credit card data.
Authorization also ensures that employees can access the documents and programs they need to do their job, which can improve productivity. This is done by using a policy-based system called role-based access control (RBAC), which grants permissions to users based on the roles they play in an organization. This is more secure than a flat system that grants access to every file or folder in a company’s environment and helps ensure that employees are not overwhelmed by files they don’t need.
Authorization: Defining Access Key
When you’re a user in the corporate network, you’ve likely been authenticated by an access token. These are digital credentials that provide a secure channel for applications, scripts, and tools to communicate with the environment. They’re the linchpin for programmatic access, and they play an important role in keeping data safe from breaches and cybersecurity risks.
Once an authentication system verifies that you’re who you claim to be, it’s time to move on to authorization. This process determines whether you’re allowed to perform certain actions or access specific resources. The “who” is the user, which can be identified by an access token or through a combination of factors like usernames and passwords, smart cards, retina scans, voiceprints, or fingerprints. The “what” is the action or resource that you’re trying to access, such as a file, database, application, or website.
Then, the system decides whether to allow or deny your request based on its policy. An access policy is an established set of rules that governs which users can perform what kinds of actions. There are different methods for doing this, including role-based authorization (RBAC), attribute-based access control, and ACLs. Some systems also combine these into a single architecture called the authorization server model, which keeps decision logic centralized but makes it accessible to all applications. This is the best solution for decoupling logic and data while still ensuring that changes to policies are implemented across the entire system quickly.
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