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Authentication

What makes the difference between an information system user that is allowed onto the platform and who doesn’t even have a chance at getting past the username and password page of the same web application? Well, it is the information that they supply to the system for authenticating themselves and this is what makes up authentication for modern systems and information that is well protected requires a means of authentication in order to recognize the user as being a genuine one. Logging into an application means that the user has been authenticated and will only receive information and updates that are relevant to them.

Usernames and passwords are one of the common means of getting authenticated into an information system or a web application on the modern web. The combinations of characters that make up the username and password are unique for each user and cannot be repeated which gives everyone the opportunity to have a separate identity for themselves with which they can use to get into the application. The use of these features makes it possible to know who is getting into the application or information system and when they are doing so. They are a powerful means of authentication which is setup the very moment the users are registered onto the web application.

Another means of authentication is one which makes use of the common everyday accounts that are used by the users for other uses. For instance, the application user might be a common user of a social media platform and in place of a username and a password as a means of gaining access into the web application, they simply login with the social media account and the rest of the identity gets passed onto the application from the social media provider. This makes the process of getting into the applications much easier and effortless as well as providing a transparent means of knowing who has logged into the application.

Keeping track of the users of any application or information system by use of the authentication is also possible with modern applications logging the information into a database which is used whenever there is need for a forensic run on the systems security structure. The users of the applications will also be able to obtain information that is only relevant to them and not any other person when they have used their unique account to log into the application.

In conclusion, modern information systems have been known to be very keen on who gets onto them and with authentication, it is possible to filter the users of the application and limit or restrict the users of the applications. In many cases, the information system will make use of third parties to verify the identity of the user as well as signing them up into the web application. Opening an account using a social media account is possible and reduces the information that is needed by the application which encourages very many people to start using the application.