- Authentication (authN): A user management system verifies that a user is who they say they are. For example, in a typical username/password authentication process, a user tells the system who they are with their username (email address, mobile number, alias), and proves who they are with their password.
- Authorization (authZ): A user management system grants a user the right to access a resource or service, after that user has been authenticated. For example, a parent that owns the account for a streaming service is authorized to create and manage the household user group (for example add or remove members, and grant service entitlements). Conversely, a child is authorized to only view content relevant to their age group. The system authorizes each user to access content differently when they sign in to the service.
Key User Capabilities
- Onboard and authenticate with email address and password
- Onboard and authenticate with mobile number and password
- Onboard and authenticate with an existing social media account
- Authenticate with email address or mobile number using OTP
- Authenticate with email address or mobile number using Magic Link
- Authenticate with an alias and password
- Authenticate with Remember Me cookie for session-based authentication when the user navigates away from a service and then returns back to the service.
- Authenticate with Refresh Token for OIDC-based authentication when the user navigates away from a service and then returns back to the service.
- Authenticate with a reCAPTCHA (v2/v3/enterprise) Invisible Badge. If a behavior is deemed suspicious, a user needs to answer a challenge (for example, select all images with a fire hydrant) to prove their identity.
- Authenticate with Multi-factor Authentication (MFA). A user can register an external channel, or factor, for added security. MFA uses the user’s registered, verified authentication IDs (for example, their email address or mobile), or an RFC-6238 compliant third-party authentication app (for example, Google Authenticator, LastPass, 1Password). MFA is triggered if the user has at least one MFA option set on their User ID, and the user is attempting to authenticate from a new or unknown device.
- Onboard and Authenticate with Social Media Account
- Magic Link Authentication
- One-Time Password Authentication

