(1) In computer security, a process that ensures that the identities of both the sender and the receiver of a network transaction are true.
(2) In computer security, verification of the identity of a user or process and the construction of a data structure that contains the privileges that were granted to the user or process.
(3) The process by which a system verifies a user's identity. User authentication is completed by a security facility outside the DB2 database system, often part of the operating system or a separate product.
(4) The security service that provides proof that a user of a computer system is genuinely who that person claims to be. Common mechanisms for implementing this service are passwords and digital signatures. Authentication is distinct from authorization; authentication is not concerned with granting or denying access to system resources.
(5) The process of validating the identity of a user or server.