Cybersecurity

Authentication vs Authorisation

/ɔːˌθentɪˈkeɪʃən vɜːsəs ˌɔːθəraɪˈzeɪʃən/

Definition

Authentication proves who you are; authorisation determines what you're allowed to do.

Example in context

"You're authenticated (logged in) but not authorised (no admin role) — you can't access the admin panel."

Related terms

Practice this term

Master Authentication vs Authorisation in context by working through exercises in the Cybersecurity module. You'll see the term used in real engineering scenarios with multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and matching drills.