What is identification and authentication, and what is the difference?

Identification and authentication are two different concepts in the field of security related to confirming the identity of a person or device in a system.

Identification is the process of determining a person or object, providing a unique identifier or identification tag that distinguishes that user or object from others in the system. It may include assigning identification data such as a name, number, code, login, or any other unique marker.

Authentication is the process of verifying and confirming the identity of a person or object in the system. In the context of security, authentication is used to determine whether the person or object attempting to access the system is who they claim to be.

For example, when logging into a website, when you enter your username and password, you are undergoing the identification process (indicating who you are), and then the system performs the authentication process, checking whether the entered data matches the correct user. If these steps are successfully completed, you are granted access to your personal account on the website.