Authentication vs Authorization. Our book covers authorization, but not authentication

1. Authentication VS Authorization
Frank H. Vianzon, Adjunct
Instructor, GPEN, GCWN, CCNA, MCS
E

2. Authentication
• Authentication is the process of submitting and checking
credentials to validate or prove user identity. Authentication
is used in access control to allow only specific individuals
access to a building or computer system. The process of
authentication typically starts by providing a username
along with one or more of the following credentials:

3. *Authorization
Authorization, by contrast, is the mechanism by which a
system determines what level of access a particular
authenticated user should have to secured resources
controlled by the system
•
As an instructor, I can look at your grades for my class. I
posted them
• Can I look at the grades for your English class??

4. Back to Authentication!
•
Usernames are not case sensitive, Passwords are
•
Password Policy settings in the Local Security Policy control
characteristics about a password such as how long it must be, how
often it must be changed, or whether complex passwords are
required.
•
Account Lockout Policy settings in the Local Security Policy control
what happens when users enter incorrect passwords. With account
lockout, an account is locked (and cannot be used for logon) when a
specified number of incorrect passwords are entered.
– Depending on the policy settings, locked accounts might be unlocked
automatically after a period of time.
– You can unlock a locked account by editing the account properties in Local
Users and Groups.
– If an account is locked because the user forgot the password, an
administrator can change the password using Local Users and Groups. As a
best practice when changing the password for a user, the password the
administrator configures should be a temporary password. In the user
account properties, select the User must change password at next
logon option to require the user to change the password after logging on
with the temporary password.

5. Authentication
• A disabled account cannot be used for logon.
– You will typically disable an account that is no longer needed
or that will not be used for a long period of time.
– You can manually disable and enable an account; however, you
cannot manually lock an account (you can only unlock a locked
account). Accounts are locked automatically through the
account lockout settings.
• When accessing shared folders or Remote Desktop on a
network computer, the user account must have been
configured with a password. User accounts with blank
passwords cannot be used to gain network access to a
computer (configure a password first, then try to
reconnect).

6. Three Factors
• Something You Know
– Passwords
• Something You Have
– Tokens
– Smartcards
• Something You Are
– Biometrics

7. Authentication Methods
• Password (vs Passphrase)
– How many characters can your Windows
password be?
– Which is harder to crack? A complex
password or a long passphrase?
•
http://www.sans.org/windows-security/2009/06/12/how-long-tocrack-a-password-spreadsheet/
• Smart Card
• Biometric
– What are the problems with biometrics?