PRESENTATION ON
AUTHENTICATION
ASSIGNMENT NO.- 3
SUBMITTED BY :- SIMRAN
ROLL NO. :- 2425576
SUBMITTED TO:- MS. POONAM BHALLA
BASIC PROBLEM
How do you prove to someone that you are who you claim to be?
Any system with access control must solve this problem
AUTHENTICATION
• Authentication is any process by which a system verifies the
identity of a user who wishes to access it
• Authentication may be implemented using Credentials, each
of which is composed of a User ID and Password.
Alternately, Authentication may be implemented with Smart
Cards, an Authentication Server or even a Public Key
Infrastructure
MANY WAYS TO PROVE WHO YOU ARE
• What you know
—Passwords/ Secret key
• Where you are
—IP address
• What you are
—Biometrics (e.g. fingerprint)
• What you have
—Secure tokens/smart card/ ATM card
TYPES OF AUTHENTICATION
• Password-Based Authentication
— User inputs a secret password for identity verification.
• Biometric Authentication
—Uses unique physical traits (e.g., fingerprints, facial recognition).
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
—Combines two distinct authentication methods (e.g., password + code sent via SMS).
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
—More than two authentication factors (e.g., password, biometrics, and physical token).
1. PASSWORD-BASED AUTHENTICATION
• A user must enter a username and a secret password to gain access.
• How it Works:
User submits credentials.
System checks the password against the stored value (often encrypted).
Access is granted if there’s a match.
• Advantages
Simple and widely used.
Cost-effective to implement
• Challenges:
Susceptible to attacks like brute force or phishing.
Users often create weak passwords.
1. PASSWORD-BASED AUTHENTICATION
2. BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION
• Verifies a user’s identity based on unique physical characteristics.
• Examples:
Fingerprints, facial recognition, retina scans, voice recognition.
• Advantages:
Difficult to forge or steal.
Convenient (e.g., no need to remember passwords).
• Challenges:
Privacy concerns.
Expensive hardware and potential for false positives/negatives.
2. BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION
3. TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION (2FA)
• Requires two separate forms of verification.
• Examples:
• Password + SMS Code
• Password + Authentication App (e.g., Google Authenticator)
• Advantages:
• Adds an extra layer of security.
• Mitigates risks from stolen passwords.
• Challenges:
• Can be inconvenient for users.
• Reliant on a second device (e.g., phone).
3. TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION (2FA)
4. MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION (MFA)
• Involves using more than two factors to verify identity.
• Common Factors:
Something you know (password, PIN)
Something you have (smartphone, hardware token)
Something you are (biometrics)
• Advantages:
Highly secure.
Harder to compromise compared to 2FA.
• Challenges:
Can be complex for users.
May involve additional hardware.
4. MULTI- FACTOR AUTHENTICATION
SECURITY RISKS IN AUTHENTICATION
• Brute Force Attacks:
—Attackers try many combinations of usernames and passwords until successful.
• Phishing:
—Attackers impersonate trusted entities to steal credentials.
• Credential Stuffing:
—Using stolen usernames and passwords from one breach to try to access other
accounts.
• Man-in-the-Middle Attacks:
—Intercepting communication between the user and the server to steal
credentials.
CONCLUSION
• Authentication is a fundamental aspect of cybersecurity.
• Multiple methods exist to protect systems, with increasing
emphasis on multi-factor approaches.
• Continuousimprovements in security technologies will help
address growing threats.
