Authentication
Data authentication is the practice of determining that an entity (such a person or system process) is who it claims to be. This verification can be performed through use of a shared secret system, such as requiring a password, or through certificates and digital signatures.
Authentication involves the following interactions.
1. | The entity that is to identify itself to a verifying entity provides an identifier to that verifying entity. The identifier specifies that the originating entity has a particular identity. |
2. | The verifying entity then receives the identifier from the entity. It uses the verifier to check the authenticity of the entity’s claim. In some instances, the verifying entity can be its own verifier. |
3. | The verifier makes sure that an entity is who it claims it is. This process may or may not involve communication with the entity making the claim. |
The verification can involve different levels of authentication.
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