Subject: Fundamentals of Authentication
Author: Alex_Raj
Posted on: 05/17/2006 03:44:54 PM
What is authentication?
Authentication is a process to prove and validate an entity's identity. It answers the question: is the entity really the one who claims to be?
How is authentication done?
A typical authentication process involves submission of entity's credentials to the authentication authority and the matching submitted credentials with those stored in authority's credential database. If the match is found, the entity's identity is considered authentic.
What's next?
A cryptographic token is issued by the authentication authority to the entity as proof of successful authentication. Usually, this token is used for authorization to gain the corresponding rights to access the resources in the authentication authority's kingdom.
Alex
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