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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchAuthentication verifies who or what is making a request; authorization decides what that verified subject is allowed to access or do. They are related security decisions, but passing one does not guarantee passing the other. That is why you can be signed in and still be denied access to a page or action.
What authentication establishes
Authentication is the process of verifying an identity claim. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines it as “Verifying the identity of a user, process, or device, often as a prerequisite to allowing access to resources in an information system.” NIST CSRC Glossary: Authentication
In plain terms, a person or system claims an identity, and the service checks evidence associated with that claim. A successful result gives the service confidence that the request is associated with the claimed user, process, or device; it does not by itself establish which resources that subject may use.
What authorization decides
Authorization concerns privileges: whether a subject may access a particular resource or perform a particular action. NIST describes it as the decision to permit or deny a subject access to system objects such as networks, data, applications, or services. NIST CSRC Glossary: Authorization NIST SP 800-162
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The decision can depend on the subject’s privileges and the applicable policy for the requested object or action. A system may allow someone to view a record but not change it, or permit access to one application while denying access to another.
How the two decisions differ
| Aspect | Authentication | Authorization |
|---|---|---|
| Question | Who or what is making this request? | What may this subject access or do? |
| Decision basis | An identity claim and evidence used to verify it | Privileges or policy applied to a subject, resource, and requested action |
| Result | Confidence that the claimed identity is verified | Permission granted or denied for the request |
| Example of failure | The credentials do not verify the claimed account. | The account is verified, but it lacks the required role or permission. |
NIST makes the distinction explicit in Guide to Attribute Based Access Control (ABAC) Definition and Considerations: “Authentication is not the same as access control or authorization.” NIST SP 800-162
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Why you can be logged in but still lack access
Consider a workplace app. You sign in with credentials, and the app verifies the account. You then request a payroll record or try to administer a team. The app can authenticate you correctly and still deny that request because your account does not have the necessary permission. Being signed in confirms the identity check; it does not make you a payroll administrator or grant access to every record.
This example illustrates the distinction rather than describing a specific vendor’s implementation. NIST’s access-control terminology likewise focuses on granting or restricting access to resources. NIST CSRC Glossary: Access Control
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Where identification fits
Identification, authentication, and authorization are separate concepts. Identification is the claim of an identity—for example, naming an account. Authentication establishes confidence in that claim. Authorization determines and enforces what the subject may access or do. NIST IR 8014 discusses all three as related parts of identity management. NIST IR 8014
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As a teaching model, think of a request as moving through these questions:
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- Identify: Which account or subject is being claimed?
- Authenticate: Is there sufficient evidence to trust that identity claim?
- Authorize: Is that subject permitted to perform this action on this resource?
This sequence helps explain the concepts, but it is not a universal blueprint for system architecture. Implementations can distribute or combine these functions; the key distinction is between establishing confidence in an identity and making an access decision.
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