Authentication - Verifying an identity

Authentication is the process of verifying a user’s credentials, identifying the user, and granting access to a network resource.

Verification is performed by confirming the validity of an attribute or piece of data claimed by an identity.

Examples include a username and password, biometric data, or a government-issued identity card.

It verifies the user’s credentials.

It takes place before authorization.

Authorization - Granting permissions to an identity

Authorization is the process of verifying the privileges or permissions that an authenticated user has to access system resources.

It is performed by checking the permissions or privileges granted to the user by an authoritative system, such as an identity provider.

It verifies the user’s permissions for specific resources.

It takes place after authentication is complete.