Authentication is described as confirming identity. What does this commonly involve?

Authentication is described as confirming identity. What does this commonly involve?

• A. Encrypting data
• B. Confirm identity (i.e., username and password)
• C. Obtaining credentials
• D. Granting permissions

Answer: (B)

Authentication is about verifying who you claim to be. In practice, this is usually done by presenting credentials that prove your identity, with the most common form being a username and password that the system checks against its records. This step is about confirming identity, not about protecting data (encryption) or deciding what you can do (authorization). It’s also not the act of obtaining credentials itself, though having credentials is what enables authentication. After authentication, the system may determine what permissions you have, which is the authorization step.

Authentication is about verifying who you claim to be. In practice, this is usually done by presenting credentials that prove your identity, with the most common form being a username and password that the system checks against its records. This step is about confirming identity, not about protecting data (encryption) or deciding what you can do (authorization). It’s also not the act of obtaining credentials itself, though having credentials is what enables authentication. After authentication, the system may determine what permissions you have, which is the authorization step.