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CCSP · Question #328

What is the major difference between authentication/authorization? Response:

The correct answer is B. Identity validation/access permission. Authentication verifies a user's identity ('who you are'), while authorization determines what actions that authenticated user is permitted to perform ('what you can do').

Submitted by amina.ke· Apr 18, 2026Cloud Concepts, Architecture and Design

Question

What is the major difference between authentication/authorization? Response:

Options

  • ACode verification/code implementation
  • BIdentity validation/access permission
  • CInverse incantation/obverse instantiation
  • DUser access/privileged access

How the community answered

(46 responses)
  • A
    2% (1)
  • B
    91% (42)
  • C
    4% (2)
  • D
    2% (1)

Why each option

Authentication verifies a user's identity ('who you are'), while authorization determines what actions that authenticated user is permitted to perform ('what you can do').

ACode verification/code implementation

Code verification/code implementation relates to software development and security, not the core concepts of authentication and authorization.

BIdentity validation/access permissionCorrect

Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user, system, or process, often through credentials like usernames and passwords or multifactor authentication. Authorization, on the other hand, occurs after successful authentication and determines what resources an authenticated entity is permitted to access and what operations it is allowed to perform on those resources.

CInverse incantation/obverse instantiation

'Inverse incantation/obverse instantiation' are nonsensical terms and bear no relation to authentication or authorization.

DUser access/privileged access

User access/privileged access are types of access levels, which are determined by authorization, but they do not define the fundamental difference between authentication and authorization processes themselves.

Concept tested: Authentication vs. Authorization

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/authentication-vs-authorization

Topics

#Authentication#Authorization#Identity and Access Management#Security Fundamentals

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