Authentication and authorization are two important security concepts used in computer applications and business information systems. Although both are related to protecting systems and data, they perform different functions. Authentication verifies the identity of a user, while authorization determines what an authenticated user is allowed to access or perform. Authentication is the process of confirming the identity of a person, device, or system before allowing access to an application or service. It answers the question, “Who are you?” Authentication is generally performed using credentials such as a username and password. Modern business applications may also use biometric identification, one-time passwords (OTP), security tokens, smart cards, or multi-factor authentication. For example, when an employee enters a username and password to log in to a company’s accounting software, the system checks whether the