Advanced Authentication Technology

Computer systems and the information they store and process are valuable resources which need to be protected. With the current trend toward networking, compromise of one computer on a network can often affect a significant number of other machines connected to the network. The first step toward securing a computer system is the ability to verify the identity of users. The process of verifying a user's identity is typically referred to as user authentication. Passwords are the method used most often for authenticating computer users, but this approach has often proven inadequate in preventing unauthorized access to computer resources when used as the sole means of authentication. This bulletin describes advanced authentication technology which can be used to increase the security of computer systems and provides guidance in the selection and use of this technology.