Authentication is the process in which a program determines whether a
user is actually the person who he claims to be. It is used in any kind
of a system that provides different services to people depending upon
their membership. When you log in to your favorite mailbox, access ATM,
or use the services of Net Banking; what you are actually doing is
obtaining service from the service provider after proving your
credibility using your credentials (i.e. generally your user name and
password).
Read on over at MadPenguin.
Linux Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) Overview
Posted on Thursday, September 14 2006 @ 7:10 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck