Authentication and authorization are two critical components of securing systems and protecting sensitive data, but they serve different purposes.

Authentication: Authentication is a process of verifying the identity of a user or system.
It answers the question: “Who are you?”
Authentication ensures that the person trying to access a system is indeed who they claim to be.

Common methods of authentication:
Passwords: A common way to verify identity, but can be vulnerable if not managed securely.
Biometrics: Fingerprints, facial recognition or iris scans used to verify identity.
Two Factor Authentication (2FA): Combining something you know (password) with something you have (like a smartphone for verification code).
Security Tokens: Devices or apps that generate one-time passcodes for a user.
OAuth: A protocol that allows users to authenticate using credentials from another service (e.g., “Login with Google”).

Authorization: Authorization occurs after successful authentication and determines whether an authenticated user has permission to access a resource or perform a specific action.
It answers the question: “What can you do?“

Examples of authorization mechanisms:
Role-Based Access Control: Access rights are assigned based on a user’s role(e.g., admin, user, guest).
Access Control Lists: Lists specifying which users or systems can access certain resources and what actions they can perform (e.g., read, write, delete).
Attribute-Based Access Control: Decisions are based on attributes (e.g., user location, time of access).

Key Differences:
Authentication is about confirming identity, whereas Authorization is about granting permission.
Authentication happens first, and once a user is authenticated, the system can then authorize their access based on predefined rules.

Both process are essential for securing systems and protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access.