What is the process of verifying a user's identity called?

The process of verifying a user's identity is called authentication. Authentication ensures that the user attempting to access a system or service is indeed who they claim to be. This is typically accomplished through various methods, such as requiring a username and password, biometric scans (like fingerprints or facial recognition), or multi-factor authentication, which combines two or more verification methods.

In contrast, authorization is the process that follows authentication, determining what an authenticated user is allowed to do within the system. Encryption refers to the method of encoding data to prevent unauthorized access, while access control deals with the policies and mechanisms that regulate who can view or use resources in a computing environment. Therefore, understanding the distinction between these terms is crucial in the context of computer security practices.