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What purposes does authentication serve? What are the pros and downsides of various authentication techniques?

What purposes does authentication serve? What are the pros and downsides of various authentication techniques?

Database System Concepts
Database System Concepts
7th Edition
ISBN:9780078022159
Author:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Publisher:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Chapter1: Introduction
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1PE
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**Authentication: Purposes, Pros, and Downsides** Authentication serves several key purposes, primarily ensuring that users or entities accessing a system are who they claim to be. It is crucial for maintaining security, protecting sensitive information, and preventing unauthorized access. ### Purposes of Authentication 1. **Security**: Protect systems from unauthorized access. 2. **Data Integrity**: Ensure that only authorized users can alter data. 3. **Accountability**: Track user actions within a system. 4. **Personalization**: Provide a personalized user experience. ### Pros and Downsides of Various Authentication Techniques 1. **Passwords**: - *Pros*: Easy to implement and use; familiar to most users. - *Downsides*: Vulnerable to attacks (e.g., phishing, brute force); often weak due to poor user practices. 2. **Biometric Authentication** (e.g., fingerprints, facial recognition): - *Pros*: Difficult to forge; convenient for users. - *Downsides*: Privacy concerns; potential for false positives/negatives; requires special hardware. 3. **Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)**: - *Pros*: Enhances security by requiring an additional verification step. - *Downsides*: Can be inconvenient; dependent on secondary device availability. 4. **Token-Based Authentication**: - *Pros*: Provides strong security; can be used for single sign-on. - *Downsides*: Tokens can be lost or stolen; requires management infrastructure. 5. **Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)**: - *Pros*: Provides the highest level of security by combining multiple methods. - *Downsides*: Can be complex and costly to implement; may affect user convenience. Authentication is a critical component of digital security, with each method offering distinct advantages and challenges. Organizations must carefully assess their needs to select the most appropriate authentication mechanisms.
Transcribed Image Text:**Authentication: Purposes, Pros, and Downsides** Authentication serves several key purposes, primarily ensuring that users or entities accessing a system are who they claim to be. It is crucial for maintaining security, protecting sensitive information, and preventing unauthorized access. ### Purposes of Authentication 1. **Security**: Protect systems from unauthorized access. 2. **Data Integrity**: Ensure that only authorized users can alter data. 3. **Accountability**: Track user actions within a system. 4. **Personalization**: Provide a personalized user experience. ### Pros and Downsides of Various Authentication Techniques 1. **Passwords**: - *Pros*: Easy to implement and use; familiar to most users. - *Downsides*: Vulnerable to attacks (e.g., phishing, brute force); often weak due to poor user practices. 2. **Biometric Authentication** (e.g., fingerprints, facial recognition): - *Pros*: Difficult to forge; convenient for users. - *Downsides*: Privacy concerns; potential for false positives/negatives; requires special hardware. 3. **Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)**: - *Pros*: Enhances security by requiring an additional verification step. - *Downsides*: Can be inconvenient; dependent on secondary device availability. 4. **Token-Based Authentication**: - *Pros*: Provides strong security; can be used for single sign-on. - *Downsides*: Tokens can be lost or stolen; requires management infrastructure. 5. **Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)**: - *Pros*: Provides the highest level of security by combining multiple methods. - *Downsides*: Can be complex and costly to implement; may affect user convenience. Authentication is a critical component of digital security, with each method offering distinct advantages and challenges. Organizations must carefully assess their needs to select the most appropriate authentication mechanisms.
Expert Solution
Step 1

Introduction:

Authentication is the process that a server goes through in order to determine exactly who is accessing the information or site that it controls.

When a client needs to verify that the server really is the system that it claims to be, they will employ authentication to do so.

During the authentication process, the user or machine must demonstrate its identity to either the server or the client.

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