What is Authentication vs. Authorization? The Main Differences

Authentication and authorization are essential processes of identity and access management. While the terms are often used interchangeably, authentication and authorization fill different functions. For example, while authentication verifies the user’s identity, authorization verifies what permissions the user has to access specific files, applications, or data.

The prevalence of hybrid and remote workspaces has made robust authentication and authorization processes more important than ever. This post will explore the differences between these two processes and why you need both for effective identity and access management in hybrid environments.

What is authentication?

Before exploring authentication vs. authorization, it’s essential to define what authentication is and what it is not.

Authentication is a mechanism a server or client uses to validate the identity of the entity or user trying to access the website or system. Verifying user identity is often the first step in any security process. A client also uses authentication when it needs to validate a system’s identity.

• Server Authentication often involves verifying a user’s identity via a username or password. Other methods of authentication by a server may include retina scans, voice recognition, or fingerprints.
• Client Authentication involves the system providing a digital certificate verified by a reputable entity that states that the system belongs to the expected entity.

What does authentication not do? Authentication doesn’t define which tasks the user or entity may do or which resources it can access. Instead, authentication only identifies and verifies the user’s identity.

Leverage adaptive authentication and adaptive access to securely support BYOD and unmanaged devices.

Types of authentication

Typically, authentication methods rely on three different types of information:

• Knowledge: Users offer a password, the answer to a security question, or a one-time code that gives users access to a single session or transaction.
• Possession: Users have an app, a security token, a digital ID card, or a mobile device they use to authenticate their identity with the system.
• Identity: The system uses biometric data such as fingerprints, facial recognition, or a retinal scan.

Most organizations combine multiple authentication methods to provide a better level of protection. For instance, the user may receive a one-time code on their mobile phone after providing their username and password. This authentication strategy is called multi-factor authentication (MFA).

However, even MFA isn’t always enough to keep your data secure, partly because the methods and tools used by hackers continue to evolve. Recently, adaptive authentication has gained popularity because of its security advantages.

What is adaptive authentication? Adaptive authentication uses contextual and behavioral factors such as physical location and device status to select the most secure authentication method. Adaptive authentication is more potent than simple MFA because it continually assesses factors throughout the user’s session.

How does adaptive authentication work? The underlying logic that informs adaptive authentication is based on individual user profiles and calculations of risk. When a user attempts to log in, the system evaluates the level of risk involved in granting that access based on that user profile. For example, if the system perceives that giving access is riskier based on the user’s geographic location or role, additional authentication methods may be required such as security questions or a one-time code for login.

What is authorization?

Authorization is the process used by a system to determine if a client has permission to access a resource or file or carry out an action. This security method is sometimes called access control.

Examples of authorization may include giving users permission to edit or download a specific file or providing access to an application that manages sensitive data.

Authorization Methods

Once authentication confirms the user’s identity, security systems apply access controls to grant the user access to only the tools and information they are permitted to see. Two of the most common authorization techniques are role-based access control (RBAC) and attribute-based access control (ABAC):

• Role-based access control (RBAC) is an identity and access management technique that gives access to a resource according to the user’s role within the organization. By doing this, the user gets permission on a need-to-use basis. For example, while all employees may see their personal information, only an HR manager can modify, add to, or delete this data. Likewise, company financial data may not be accessible to employees in the marketing department, and inventory control systems may function only for employees authorized to handle procurement.
• Attribute-based access control (ABAC) is an identity and access control method that gives access to users according to a set of pre-set characteristics called attributes. These attributes may include the user’s name, organization, ID, level of security clearance, time of access, and location. For example, instead of giving editing access over personal files to all HR managers, you can only provide this level of access to certain personnel in specific locations or at certain times of the day. This level of granularity improves security by managing access at the individual level.

Authentication vs. Authorization: Key Differences

Identity and access management (IAM) systems include both authorization and authentication. With robust authentication and authorization measures, you can verify who is trying to access organizational resources and confirm that they have permission to do so. This tiered approach mitigates the risk of internal and external threats. Implementing strong authorization and authentication methods is especially important today with the growth of distributed environments and hybrid workforces.

Why are identity and access management key for hybrid and remote work security?

Many organizations are expanding their IT landscape to cloud environments as a strategy for integrating hybrid and remote workforces. The security challenges of a hybrid or remote workforce include the difficulty of managing multiple personal devices used for work ‌(BYOD); greater reliance on cloud-based data storage and remote file sharing; and security gaps caused by the lack of a consistent identity management structure.

A unified identity management system includes both authentication and authorization. An integrated identity management system improves productivity and optimizes account and access control management. Authorization is used with authentication, so the system knows who’s requesting access and what they’re allowed to do.

IT systems that rely on the cloud for remote work must constantly improve their security posture. In the last two years, we’ve seen an increase in cyberattacks that prey on identity and access management vulnerabilities, such as compromised credentials.

When your staff works most of the time remotely, it’s essential to constantly confirm their identity and permissions, which traditional IAM systems don’t. That’s where Zero trust authentication comes into play.

Zero Trust Authentication

A zero trust approach is based on the principle of “never trust, always verify.” This approach involves checking the user’s identity and permissions constantly during the session — not just at the beginning.

If that sounds familiar, that’s because one of the keys to zero trust authentication is implementing contextual access via adaptive authentication. Zero trust authentication is a continuous process that constantly assesses identity, contextual factors, and behavior before granting or maintaining access during the session. In addition, system access can be revoked if an issue is detected to ensure security.

A zero trust framework delivers secure access to all corporate apps, modernizes your IT security, and allows you to securely support your hybrid workforce.

Steps to authenticate corporate users in a hybrid environment

1) Identify the different identities in your organization.

The first step to extending identity management in a hybrid environment is to assess the various identities that exist within your organization:

• External identities are the managed identities of non-employees. For example, external identities can include third-party contractors, clients, or partners that need access to your organization’s resources.
• Corporate identities are the identities within the organization — for instance, access credentials for workstations, email, or corporate applications.
• Guests are identities managed by external parties such as partners with access to corporate resources.
• Customers also have identities you manage that enable them to interact with your organization’s network and applications.
• Application identities are from applications that interact with other applications within your organization. These applications could include Internet of Things (IoT) devices and even APIs.

2) Define which resources and applications you want users to access.

It’s important to map which resources, data, and applications you want which users to access, when they can access them, and from where. By matching resources to identities, you know how permissions should be managed for your users.

CISA recommends that permissions be allocated via a Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) access strategy. Under a Least Privilege strategy, users are given the minimum access needed to fulfill their job responsibilities. In addition, this access will be limited in scope and duration to minimize the potential risk of unauthorized access by malevolent outsiders and unscrupulous insiders. The Principle of Least Privilege is just a part of a comprehensive zero trust security posture, which also safeguards systems with strict authentication protocols for every user, every time.

3) Assess your identity and access management providers.

Evaluate the identity providers you use to provide authentication services. A legacy system can create more problems than solutions. Ensure that your systems apply a zero trust approach and with seamless integrations to strengthen your current identity and access management posture.

4) Examine your disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Despite your best efforts, some threats can make their way into your system. Disaster recovery plans are meant to prepare your team for catastrophic events such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, civil unrest, or other events that cause significant disruption. Planning for off-site data storage, backups, and further redundancies ensures that data can still be accessed or retrieved during a disaster.

Business continuity plans prepare teams to keep business operations going during short-term events such as network outages or service disruptions. Ensuring the ongoing availability of your data and systems and maintaining the ability to authenticate users is key for business continuity.

How Citrix Secure Private Access ensures effective authentication and authorization for hybrid environments

Citrix Secure Private Access is a unified solution that provides zero trust authentication and security for hybrid and remote work environments. It solves traditional security architectures’ security challenges and inefficiencies and mitigates the risks of distributed workforces and hybrid cloud environments.

Citrix Secure Private Access solutions can secure applications and systems against application-level threats and unauthorized access without disrupting the user experience.

Some of the features of Citrix Secure Private Access solutions include single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and adaptive authentication. In addition, it combines machine learning and automated real-time monitoring to give constant visibility and detect anomalous behavior. Together with Citrix Analytics for Security and Citrix Workspace, you can create comprehensive multi-layered security that enables distributed workforces to maintain consistent security regardless of device or location.

Now that you understand authentication vs. authorization, explore more about how Citrix Analytics for Security and Citrix Secure  Access proactively detects and responds to security threats before they cause damage. Request a demo today.