<aside> <img src="/icons/user-circle-filled_gray.svg" alt="/icons/user-circle-filled_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Authentication is a security measure that ensures individuals or entities are who they claim to be during a communication or transaction

</aside>

5 commonly used authentication methods

• Something you know (Knowledge factor)
  • Relies on information that a user can recall
• Something you have (Possession factor)
  • Relies on the user presenting a physical item to authenticate themselves
• Something you are (Inherence factor)
  • Relies on the user providing a unique physical or behavioral characteristic of the person to validate that they are who they claim to be
• Something you do (Action factor)
  • Relies on the user conducting a unique action to prove who they are
• Somewhere you are (Location factor)
  • Relies on the user being in a certain geographic location before access is granted

Multi-Factor Authentication System (MFA)

• Security process that requires users to provide multiple methods of identification to verify their identity

Authentication is critical to understand because of the following:

• To prevent unauthorized access
• To protect user data and privacy
• To ensure that resources are accessed by valid users only