Authentication Techniques and Tools

Authentication is the most fundamental aspect of security. Authentication is a key mechanism of security since it constitutes the first barrier of security against potential attacks. The password must require a certain number of criteria in order to prevent it from being disclosed, which would potentially cause irreparable damage to the system or the entity requiring security. Identification is the act of distinguishing ourselves from others by presenting our identity, which can be in the form of a name, an IP address, a physical address or a MAC address. Any information circulating through the network can be captured by an observer (sniffer), and is the biggest challenge to overcome. Authorization is a function that determines the services which an authenticated entity may access, again with the objective of limiting access rights.