[name] asked: What is the difference between authentication and authorization?

Authentication and authorization are two different but related processes in security:

• Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user. It confirms that the user is who they claim to be. It is usually implemented through login and password, biometrics, tokens, etc.

• Authorization is the process of determining the user's rights and access to resources after successful authentication. It answers the question: "What can this user do?"

Example:

The user enters login and password — authentication occurs. If the data is correct, the system recognizes who it is. Then the system checks what actions are permitted for this user — this is authorization.

Thus, authentication happens first, then authorization.