Authorization vs Authentication: 5 Key Differences

Authorization and authentication are distinct processes often confused in discussions and documentation, leading to vulnerabilities such as broken access control, a top web application threat. Authentication verifies the identity of a user, service, or device, generating an identity claim that is then used as input for authorization, which determines what actions or resources the verified entity can access. These processes must be executed sequentially, with authentication preceding authorization, to ensure security and proper access control. Open-source tools help separate and manage these concerns effectively, reducing the risk of security flaws. Authentication methods include passwords, multi-factor authentication, and passkeys, while authorization models involve role-based, attribute-based, and relationship-based access controls. Properly architecting these processes separately ensures scalability, security, and flexibility in managing access policies, and using dedicated tools rather than monolithic systems is beneficial for optimization and compliance. Open-source solutions like Ory Kratos for authentication and Ory Keto for authorization provide customizable, scalable infrastructure, avoiding vendor lock-in and high costs associated with managed SaaS platforms.

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