Authentication
The process of verifying that a user, system, or process is who they claim to be.
Authentication is how a system confirms the identity of a user, service, or device. Common examples include passwords, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and single sign-on (SSO) via an identity provider.
Strong authentication reduces the risk of unauthorized access by making it harder for attackers to impersonate legitimate users. It is often paired with authorization, which determines what an authenticated identity is allowed to do.
Authentication mechanisms and their configuration are frequently in-scope for audits and security reviews.