authorizationauthentication

Authentication and authorization are two fundamental security concepts that are often used together, but they serve distinct purposes in controlling access to systems and data. Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user, device, or system. It answers the question, "Who are you?" Common methods of authentication include passwords, multi-factor authentication (MFA) using things like SMS codes or authenticator apps, biometrics such as fingerprints or facial recognition, and security tokens. Successful authentication confirms that the entity making a request is indeed who they claim to be.

Authorization, on the other hand, is the process of determining what an authenticated user or system is allowed to do. It answers the question, "What are you allowed to access or perform?" Once an entity has been authenticated, authorization checks its permissions against a set of defined rules or policies. For example, an authenticated user might be authorized to read a document but not to edit or delete it. This distinction is crucial; authentication ensures the right person is accessing the system, while authorization ensures they can only perform actions and access data they are supposed to. Without proper authorization, even a successfully authenticated user could potentially cause harm by accessing sensitive information or performing unauthorized operations.