Authentication Fundamentals | Authentication Series

Summary

This video introduces a new series on authentication strategies, covering key concepts such as the process of authentication, its types, and examples. The video explains various authentication factors—knowledge (passwords), possession (tokens), and inherent qualities (biometrics). It differentiates between multi-factor and two-factor authentication, emphasizing security. Additionally, it highlights the distinction between authentication (verifying identity) and authorization (checking user permissions). The video sets the stage for future discussions on different authentication strategies, promising in-depth exploration of their implementation, pros, and cons.

Takeaways

• 😀 Data structures series focused on common data structures, their use cases, pros and cons, and operational complexity.
• 🔐 Authentication is the process of verifying someone's identity, similar to how an airline checks your passport to confirm your identity.
• 🌐 In computer systems, authentication can involve checking username/password, TLS for websites, or server-to-server communications.
• 🔑 Several authentication factors exist: username/password, security codes (PIN), hard tokens (hardware devices), soft tokens (e.g., OTP via mobile), and biometric verification (e.g., facial recognition).
• 📖 Authentication factors can be categorized into three types: knowledge factor (something you know), possession factor (something you have), and qualities factor (something you are).
• 🔒 Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires more than one factor from different categories (e.g., username and password, plus OTP) to increase security.
• 👥 Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a specific type of MFA that involves exactly two authentication factors.
• 🚫 Authentication and authorization are different: authentication verifies identity, while authorization checks if the authenticated user has permission to perform certain actions.
• ❌ In case of authentication failure, HTTP response code 401 is used; for authorization failure, HTTP response code 403 is returned.
• 📽 The future videos in the series will cover different authentication strategies in detail, including their pros, cons, and implementation.

Q & A

What were the topics covered in the previous video series?

The previous video series covered data structures, their use cases, pros and cons, and the complexity of operations performed on them.

What is authentication in the context of computing?

Authentication is the process of verifying someone's identity, typically by checking credentials such as a username and password.

Can you give a real-world example of authentication?

A real-world example of authentication is when an airline worker checks your passport at the airport to verify your identity before allowing you to board a plane.

What are some examples of authentication methods used in computing?

In computing, authentication methods include username and password, security codes (PIN), hard tokens, soft tokens (like OTP sent to a mobile device), and biometric verification.

How does multi-factor authentication (MFA) work?

Multi-factor authentication requires using more than one authentication factor, such as a password (knowledge factor) and an OTP (possession factor), making it more secure than single-factor authentication.

What is the difference between two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

Two-factor authentication involves exactly two factors, while multi-factor authentication can involve two or more factors.

What is the distinction between authentication and authorization?

Authentication is verifying a user's identity, while authorization checks if an authenticated user has permission to perform certain actions.

What HTTP response codes are associated with authentication and authorization failures?

Authentication failures return a 401 Unauthorized HTTP response code, while authorization failures return a 403 Forbidden response code.

What are the different categories of authentication factors?

The categories of authentication factors are: knowledge factors (e.g., password), possession factors (e.g., hard or soft tokens), and qualities factors (e.g., biometrics like fingerprint or facial recognition).

Why is it important to use different types of factors in multi-factor authentication?

Using different types of factors in multi-factor authentication ensures higher security. For example, using both a password (knowledge) and OTP (possession) is more secure than using two knowledge factors like a password and a security question.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Authentication Strategies

In this video, we are transitioning from discussing data structures to exploring authentication strategies. The introduction defines authentication as the process of verifying someone's identity, providing a real-world example of boarding a plane where an airline worker checks a passenger’s passport. Similarly, in computing, when you log into a website, your identity is verified using a username and password. However, it’s important to note that authentication is not limited to just persons and passwords. For instance, HTTPS protocols use TLS to authenticate servers, and server-to-server communications may also require authentication to prevent malicious use.

05:02

🔑 Overview of Authentication Methods

This section breaks down the different methods of authentication. First, the standard username and password system is introduced, followed by security codes (e.g., PINs). Next are hard tokens, physical devices used for authentication, and soft tokens, which involve verifying possession of a device like receiving an OTP on your phone. Biometric verification such as iris, facial recognition, and voice recognition is also covered. These methods are categorized into three factors: knowledge (e.g., passwords), possession (e.g., tokens), and qualities (e.g., biometrics).

🔐 Understanding Multi-factor and Two-factor Authentication

This paragraph introduces multi-factor and two-factor authentication. Multi-factor authentication involves using more than one authentication factor (e.g., a password and an OTP from your phone), making it more secure than single-factor authentication. However, for multi-factor authentication to be valid, the factors must be different (e.g., a password and a security code both fall under the same 'knowledge' category, so they don’t count as multi-factor). Two-factor authentication is a subset of multi-factor authentication, but it specifically uses exactly two factors for verification.

🆔 Authentication vs. Authorization

Authentication and authorization are often confused, but they serve different purposes. Authentication is the process of verifying identity, such as logging in with credentials. If authentication fails, an HTTP 401 'Unauthorized' error is returned. Authorization, on the other hand, checks whether the authenticated user has permission to perform a specific action. A failure in authorization results in an HTTP 403 'Forbidden' error. This distinction is important, especially for beginners.

📜 List of Authentication Strategies to Explore

The video concludes by listing common authentication strategies that will be discussed in future videos. Each strategy will be examined in detail, covering how they work, their pros and cons, and implementation methods. Viewers are encouraged to stay tuned for upcoming content.

Keywords

💡Authentication

Authentication is the process of verifying someone's identity. In the video, it is explained with examples such as verifying a passport when boarding a plane, or entering a username and password on a website. This concept is central to the video's theme, which focuses on different methods and strategies for proving identity in both real-world and digital environments.

💡Username and Password

This refers to a traditional and common method of authentication where users provide a unique identifier (username) and a secret (password) to prove their identity. The video uses this example to explain knowledge-based authentication, where the user knows specific information that authenticates them. It is one of the simplest forms of authentication discussed in the video.

💡Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)

MFA is a security system that requires more than one method of authentication from independent categories of credentials to verify a user’s identity. In the video, MFA is described as being more secure because it combines factors from different categories, such as knowledge (password) and possession (a device with an OTP). It emphasizes the importance of using multiple types of factors for added security.

💡Biometric Verification

Biometric verification refers to the use of physical characteristics, such as a fingerprint, facial recognition, or iris scan, to authenticate a user. The video categorizes it as an 'inherent quality' or 'qualities factor' for authentication. Biometrics adds another layer of security by using data unique to the user, making it harder to fake or steal.

💡Two-factor Authentication (2FA)

2FA is a specific type of multi-factor authentication that requires exactly two different authentication factors. The video explains that 2FA is commonly used to improve security by adding a second step beyond just a password, such as an OTP sent to a phone. This adds an extra layer of protection with minimal complexity.

💡Possession Factor

The possession factor in authentication is based on something the user has, such as a physical token, security card, or a mobile device receiving an OTP. The video explains that examples of possession factors include both hard tokens, like dedicated security devices, and soft tokens, such as a phone used for receiving authentication codes.

💡Knowledge Factor

The knowledge factor refers to something the user knows, such as a password or PIN code. In the video, this is exemplified by the use of passwords and security questions. It forms one of the three main types of authentication factors discussed and is typically the most common in traditional login systems.

💡Soft Token

A soft token is a digital authentication token that is typically sent to a user’s mobile device or email as part of a multi-factor authentication process. The video explains that soft tokens differ from hard tokens in that they do not require a special hardware device, but instead rely on a mobile phone or computer to generate or receive the authentication code.

💡Authorization

Authorization is the process of determining whether an authenticated user has permission to perform a certain action. The video makes a clear distinction between authentication (verifying identity) and authorization (verifying permissions), explaining that an authenticated user may still be denied access to certain resources based on authorization rules.

💡Hard Token

A hard token is a physical device used for authentication, such as a key fob or smart card. In the video, it is described as a possession factor where the user must physically have the device to authenticate. These devices add an additional layer of security, particularly in environments where digital access might be vulnerable.

Highlights

Introduction to a video series about authentication strategies, following a prior series on data structures.

Definition of authentication: the process of verifying someone's identity, using both real-world and computer-based examples.

Authentication is not limited to username and password; other methods include server-to-server communication and HTTPS for website security.

Overview of authentication factors: knowledge (username/password), possession (hard/soft tokens), and biometric (face/voice recognition).

Explanation of multi-factor authentication: involves more than one factor, such as combining knowledge (password) with possession (OTP).

Clarification of two-factor authentication: similar to multi-factor authentication but strictly uses two factors.

Distinction between authentication and authorization: authentication verifies identity, while authorization checks permissions after identity is verified.

HTTP status codes for authentication and authorization failures: 401 Unauthorized for failed authentication, and 403 Forbidden for failed authorization.

Multi-factor authentication is more secure than single-factor authentication due to the use of diverse authentication methods.

Importance of using different types of authentication factors in multi-factor authentication to ensure security.

Examples of possession-based authentication: hard tokens (physical devices) and soft tokens (mobile OTPs).

Biometric authentication: uses inherent qualities like iris or facial recognition to verify identity.

Hard tokens: physical devices used for authentication, unlike soft tokens, which rely on a personal device like a mobile phone.

Upcoming videos in the series will cover various authentication strategies, their implementation, pros, and cons.

End of the video encourages viewers to stay tuned for the next installment, which will delve deeper into authentication strategies.

Transcripts

our last video series was about the data

structures we looked at the most common

data structures their use cases the pros

and cons of each and the different

operations and the complexity of those

operations on those data structures in

this video today we will be kicking off

a similar series for the authentication

strategies we'll be discussing

everything you need to know about the

authentication and the different

authentication strategies alright so

what is Authentication authentication is

the process of verifying someone's

identity a real word example for that

would be when you board a plane the

airline worker checks your passport to

verify your identity so that is the

airport worker authenticating you to

either allow or reject you from boarding

into the plane if we talk about the

computers when you log into any website

you normally put your username and

password which is then checked by the

website to ensure that you are who you

claim to be there are two things you

should keep in mind authentication is

not only for the persons and username

and password is not the only way to

authenticate some other examples are

when you open a website in the browser

if the website uses https then TLS is

used to authenticate the server and to

avoid loading a fake website into the

user's device also there might be a

server to server communication on any

website in which case the server may

need to authenticate the incoming

request to avoid the malicious usage

alright so how does the authentication

work on a high level we have these

factors which are used for

authentication so first of all we have

the normal username and password then we

have the security codes or the PIN codes

one example for that would be the PIN

code that you enter into the ATM to

withdraw cash next we have the hard

tokens which are the special

authentication Hardware devices which

are attached to authenticate the user

then we have the soft tokens in soft

tokens unlike the hard token we don't

have any special authentication device

we just verify the possession of some

device which was used to set up the

authentication for example you may

receive an OTP on your mobile phone to

be able to authenticate yourself and

finally we have the biometric

verification in which we use the

biometric data to verify the user for

example we might use Iris facial

recognition or the voice recognition and

so on now if we look at these different

authentication factors we can categorize

them into three different types so the

username and password and the security

codes they are relevant to something

that the person knows so we can say that

this is a knowledge factor in hard and

soft tokens we authenticate the user by

verifying the possession of a hardware

device so this would be a possession

factor and in the Biometrics we test the

inherent qualities of the person hideous

face or voice so this would be a

qualities Factor

all right so this brings us to the next

topic multi-factor authentication and

two-factor authentication so first of

all we have multi-factor authentication

multi-factor authentication as the type

of authentication in which we rely on

more than one factors to authenticate a

user so for example if we pick up a

username and password from the knowledge

Factor and soft tokens from The

Possession factor and we say that for a

user to authenticate they must enter

their username and password first and

they should also put the OTP with the

receive on their mobile phone so this

would be an example of a multi-factor

authentication and because we are

relying on more than one factor to

authenticate a user so we can say that

multi-factor authentication is much more

secure than single Factor authentication

one important thing to note here is that

the factors you pick for authentication

they have to be different so for example

if we pick up a username and password

and security question or the security

codes it is still not true multi-factor

authentication because we are still

relying on the knowledge Factor the

factors have to be different for it to

be considered as a true multi-factor

Authentication

all right so next we have two Factor

authentication two-factor authentication

is similar to multi-factor

authentication the only difference is

that there are exactly two factors in

two-factor authentication in

multi-factor authentication we can have

two three four or any number of

authentication factors

so next we have the difference between

authentication and authorization this

comes up a lot in the interviews and the

beginners often confuse between them so

first of all we have authentication

authentication is the process of

verifying the identity so for example if

you are at a login screen and you enter

your credentials the application is

going to identify you through your

credentials so this is authentication

the process of verifying the identity in

case of the authentication failure for

example if you put the wrong username or

password the response code from HTTP is

going to be unauthorized 401

authorization is the process of checking

the permission of the authenticated user

so for example if you logged into a

website already and now you're trying to

perform some action the application is

going to check if you are allowed to

perform this operation or not so this is

what the authorization is performing a

check to see authenticated user can

perform a specific action or not

in case of the authorization failure the

response code from HTTP is 403 Forbidden

alright so here is the list of common

authentication strategies in the future

videos we'll be going through each of

these strategies and we'll be discussing

what they are how they are implemented

and the pros and cons and so on

so stay tuned and I will see you in the

next one