The process of authenticating the identity of an off-site user not within the application server’s domain. This process is completed by a remote user specifying an identity and some form of corresponding “proof” of identity. The proof provided is generally a secret string of letters and/or numbers (such as a credit card number, a password, or a Personal Identification Number such as an important date to the user) that can then be verified.

See Also: Authentication; Fraud; Identity Theft or Masquerading; Password; Personal Identification Number (PIN).