Electronic authentication

Electronic authentication is the process of establishing confidence in user identities electronically presented to an information system.^[1] Digital authentication, or e-authentication, may be used synonymously when referring to the authentication process that confirms or certifies a person's identity and works. When used in conjunction with an electronic signature, it can provide evidence of whether data received has been tampered with after being signed by its original sender. Electronic authentication can reduce the risk of fraud and identity theft by verifying that a person is who they say they are when performing transactions online.^[2]

Various e-authentication methods can be used to authenticate a user's identify ranging from a password to higher levels of security that utilize multifactor authentication (MFA).^[3] Depending on the level of security used, the user might need to prove his or her identity through the use of security tokens, challenge questions, or being in possession of a certificate from a third-party certificate authority that attests to their identity.^[4]