Identity and Authentication Terms Defined

VeriSign® Identity and Authentication Services provide a global service platform for the issuance and management of credentials and certificates across the enterprise or agency and to external users such as business partners, contractors and consumers.

Term	Definition

Authentication	The process of confirming that something is genuine. In computer security, authentication is usually an automated process of verifying the identity of someone or something, such as a computer or an application.
Two-Factor Authentication Strong Authentication Multi-Factor Authentication	All of these terms refer to the authentication practice of requiring confirmation of something you know such as a username and password and something you have such as a smart card, token or certificate.
Certificate Authority (CA)	An organisation that issues digital certificates and is trusted to verify the identity of certificate holders. VeriSign is a CA.
Credential	Proof of qualification, competence, or clearance that is attached to a person. A digital certificate, token, smart card, mobile phone, or installed software are credentials that may be used to enable strong or multi-factor authentication.
Extended Validation SSL	Requires a high standard for verification of SSL Certificates dictated by a third party, the CA/Browser Forum. In Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7, Web sites secured with Extended Validation SSL Certificates cause the URL address bar to turn green.
OATH	An industry-wide collaboration to develop an open reference architecture for the universal adoption of strong authentication.
One-Time Password (OTP)	A unique security code generated through a validation network by a hardware or software credential, often used as a second factor for strong authentication.
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)	The combination of protocols, technologies, infrastructure, services, and policies that define how an organisation maintains, distributes, creates, and validates public keys and associated information.
Token	A physical device used to authenticate a user for access to authorised computer services. Called a security token, hardware token, authentication token or cryptographic token.
Trust	A critical component of any PKI solution. At the top of any PKI hierarchy is the Certificate Authority (CA). When a certificate is presented, the system has to decide whether or not to trust the CA.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)	A network that provides secure, remote access into an enterprise network.

Consumer Authentication
Protect consumer online identities and accounts with a trusted, convenient authentication experience and behind-the-scenes fraud detection.

Enterprise Authentication
Address business challenges and regulations around strong authentication, encryption, and digital signatures with secure and scalable PKI and OTP solutions.

Government Authentication (Goes to VeriSign.com)
PKI and OTP solutions for Federal, state, and local agencies and government contractors.

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