What is Authentication?
Authentication is the first gate in any access control system. it answers the question Are you really who you say you are? before allowing anyone into a system. It works by checking one or more verification factors, such as a password the user knows, a device they own, or a biometric characteristic like a fingerprint or face scan. The strength of authentication directly impacts an organization’s security posture; weak authentication methods like passwords alone are frequently compromised, which is why modern security frameworks recommend multi-factor authentication as a minimum standard. Authentication is distinct from authorization authentication confirms identity, while authorization determines what that identity is permitted to do.