Types of authentication

Answer 1

Passwords

Passwords are the easiest and most common authentication process that are used, not only on desktop computers but also at the network level. However certain rules should be followed when setting a password for your computer or Network. Do not use easily predictable words for your passwords; they don't even require a hacker to access the system through your account. Use passwords that are unpredictable. Set long passwords and use numbers and special characters when setting your password. Remember your passwords; don't write it down anywhere. Hackers use various tools to know your passwords, but a long password with a number of special characters, indeed gives them a lot of trouble.

Digital Certificates

Using a certain algorithm, computer administrator combine your personal details with other user credentials to generate a public key. This public key or digital certificate is used for the authentication purpose in the network.

Smart Cards

Smart Cards are among the very few hardware authentication processes in which a simple card with an embedded circuitry is used for accessing the network. Each valid card for a particular network, when inserted into the circuitry it has been made for, gives an output which decides whether you will be allowed to enter into the network or not. The programming logic inserted into each card is different and it is one of the safest methods of authentication.

Fingerprint detection

Almost available in all laptops that are manufactured today; fingerprint detection is another safe method of computer security authentication. Everyone knows that even the iris pattern of two people may even match, but fingerprints can never match.

Face recognition systems

Face recognition system, may amuse you, but of late many people working in the field of security have questioned its user friendly nature and the security it can provide. A simple dimension calculation of the face is done by the computer and the logic used in doing so, has been often found to be prone to errors.

Biometrics

Biometrics is often considered as a far more secure way of authentication than passwords or digital certificates. It is even safer than smart cards, which may be misplaced. The physical and behavioral traits of a person are taken into consideration in this type of authentication.

Captcha Keys

This is the process of authentication that is used to verify whether a human or a computer bot has logged into the system. Captcha keys are randomly generated alphabets and numericals presented in such a form, that only a human can recognize.

Now, let's come down to the normal computer security authentical processes that we can do at the local level. Setting up a BIOS password for your computer may not be the ultimate security authentication. Removing the BIOS battery from the computer system for 30 seconds, deactivates this security feature. Setting up the administrator password is of utmost necessity. If the administrator password is not set, then any user can log into the computer irrespective of the fact whether he has an account in that computer or not.

The above listed methods are just a few of the widely used authentication methods. In fact, the measures that we take for safeguarding our computer or network are more important than the method itself. Many of us have a habit of naming our networks after the protagonist from our favorite movie. This should be avoided and networks should have sensible names that cannot be easily determined. If you are a network administrator in charge of a closed secure network, then it is always desirable to set your network visibility status to the invisible mode.