Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a person, device, or system. It’s used to ensure that someone is who they claim to be before granting access to a service or system. For example, when you log into an online account with your username and password, that’s a form of authentication.
There are different types of authentication methods:
- Something you know: This could be a password, PIN, or security question.
- Something you have: A physical device, like a smartphone (for 2-factor authentication) or a security token.
- Something you are: Biometric data, like fingerprints, facial recognition, or voice recognition.
Authentication helps secure systems and data by preventing unauthorized access.

Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a person, device, or system. It’s used to ensure that someone is who they claim to be before granting access to a service or system. For example, when you log into an online account with your username and password, that’s a form of authentication.
There are different types of authentication methods:
- Something you know: This could be a password, PIN, or security question.
- Something you have: A physical device, like a smartphone (for 2-factor authentication) or a security token.
- Something you are: Biometric data, like fingerprints, facial recognition, or voice recognition.
Authentication helps secure systems and data by preventing unauthorized access.