Authenticity

=Authenticity= __//By Yahya Ali//__

====**ITGS definition** - Authenticity means establishing a user's identity beyond reasonable doubt. Authenticating the user is crucial in many scenarios, particularly in business and legal matters. An example of authentication is a user login to a network. A more advanced example would be the use of encrypted digital signatures in a business transaction or the use of watermarking on digital photographs.====

====A problem that occurs with authenticity within technology is verifying the identity of a certain user. A simple example of authentication in use would be when you have to use your signature after swiping your card at a till to prove that you are who you say you are.====

Authentication is used within the workplace and businesses, for instance "Encryption is a mechanism by which a message is transformed so that only the sender and
====recipient can see." "Alice writes a message for Bob. In order to prove that the message has effectively been written by her, Alice signs it by encrypting the message using her Private key. Bob receives the message sent by Alice. In order for him to verify that the message is effectively coming from Alice, Bob decrypts it using Alice’s Public Key." //taken from - http://www.cgi.com/files/white-papers/cgi_whpr_35_pki_e.pdf//====

====Secure systems and data can only be retrieved or used using the method of two-factor authentication, this means that if the user is able to provide two of the three types of information's listed below then he is authorized to access the data he wants to.====

The following video reinforces the reasons why two factor authentications is becoming more and more essential for today’s world.
media type="youtube" key="G-LT8ei9-Pw?fs=1" height="253" width="418"

====Passwords and usernames for accounts are still sufficient enough for home computer users. However with today’s generation, people are becoming far more mobile and therefore a more secure method of authentication is needed. This is where new ideas and pieces of technology come into play.====

**__Exploring Authentication methods__**
====**Biometrics**- this method of authentication is gaining popularity day by day by a wide range of users. One reason that makes biometrics a very appealing method is that it is extremely hard for a hacker to gain the biometric data of an individual. Moreover it is highly unlikely for a user to misplace his/her biometric data. Thus this form of technology has a high level of assurance. A biometric device scans the data of a user; this includes fingerprints, iris pattern, hand print and speech print.====

====**Smart cards**- these are cards that are larger than a credit card. It contains an embedded microchip that can be programmed to store specific user authentication information .It is able to store multiple factors, this includes passwords and fingerprints. When a user swipes the card into a smart card reader it implicates factors of authentication, in turn this means it is a capable option for two factor authentication====