Authentication in Distributed System

A user’s identity (or that of a service, process, or server) can be established and verified by authentication. Following successful authentication, a procedure can determine what kind of access is allowed and whether to grant access to the service or its resources. It’s known as authorization.

The three elements of authentication are a personal identifier (PIN or password), a personal identifier (key or card), and a personal identifier (biometric).

The user registered in the distributed system during the authentication process. When a user logs in using a PIN, password, key, card, or biometric, the system compares their credentials with the information stored in the database; if they match, access is granted to the authorized user.

It improves security and is useful to the user.

Types of Authentication

• Password authentication
• Smartcard authentication
• Biometric authentication
• Digital certificate authentication

Password Authentication

For this kind of validation, the applicant must recall his knowledge. This approach is divided into two sections. The applicant inputs their username and password in order of precedence. The secret word and number combination that only the applicant knows is the password.

Example: Organisation

Smartcard Authentication

• Smart cards are safe microcontrollers that are usually used for cryptographic key generation, storage, and operation. Smart card authentication enables users to authenticate themselves with smart card devices. Users link a host computer to their smart card. To authenticate the user, software on the host computer communicates with the smart card’s stored secrets and keys.
• The smart card must be unlocked with a user PIN in order for it to function.
• Because cryptographic keys and other secrets held on smart cards are so well-protected—both physically and logically—and so difficult to steal, they are regarded as a highly robust method of authentication.

Biometric Authentication

A cybersecurity procedure known as “biometric authentication” uses a person’s distinct biological characteristics, such as their voice, fingerprints, retinas, and facial features, to confirm their identity. These details are stored by biometric authentication systems so that they can be used to confirm a user’s identification the next time they access their account. Generally speaking, this kind of authentication is more secure than more conventional multi-factor authentication methods.

Example: Colleges and Organisations

Digital Certificate Authentication

“Biometric authentication” is a cybersecurity process that verifies an individual’s identity by utilizing their unique biological traits, such as voice, fingerprints, retinas, and facial features. Biometric authentication systems preserve these characteristics to utilize them to verify an individual’s identity the next time they log into their account. This type of authentication is generally more secure than traditional multi-factor authentication techniques.

Applications

Take into consideration the software used by banks, hospitals, and other service-oriented businesses. People can operate on the same record from the same or other locations, changing various features of the record including logging data, updating addresses, and retrieving transaction information, because the same program works on numerous computers.

Typical distributed application use cases consist of:

Internet browsers (Tor)

• Electronic commerce sites (such as eBay and Amazon)
• Blockchain programs (Ethereum, Bitcoin)
• Platforms for cloud computing (AWS, Microsoft Azure)
• Distributed databases, such as Apache,Cassandra, and Couchbase
• Peer-to-peer networks for file sharing (BitTorrent)

Challenges in Distributed System Authentication

1. Higher latency
2. Increased communication overhead
3. Maintenance complexity
4. Network dependency
5. Cost and complexity of infrastructure
6. Debugging and troubleshooting
7. Scalability limitations
8. Data integrity
9. Lack of global view
10. Software compatibility

Conclusion

The conclusion is that authentication in a distributed system provides security to information and allows authorized users to access the information. It restricts unauthorized users to access information and verifies the identity of the user. The foundation of authentication is the possession of some confidential data, such as a password, that is known only to the entities taking part in the authentication. Therefore authentication improves security and is useful to the user.

FAQ on Authentication in Distributed System

Q.1: What is the difference between authentication and authorization?

Answer:

Authentication is the process of verifying who someone is, whereas authorization is the process of verifying what specific applications, files, and data a user has access to. Passwords, one-time pins, biometric data, and other information entered or supplied by the user are used for authentication.The organization implements and maintains the parameters that allow authorization to function.

Q.2: What are the steps in the authentication process?

Answer:

Identification, Authentication and Authorization

Q.3: Why is user authentication important?

Answer:

An additional layer of security is added between adversaries and sensitive data by requiring users to provide and verify their identification. IT teams can use least privileged access with authentication to restrict what staff members can view.