Windows 2000 Security Overview

Windows 2000 security has two aspects: authorization and authentication. Authentication is the process used by the operating system to ensure that you are who you say you are. Authorization is the process used by the operating system to allow access to objects or tasks based on the security credentials of a user.

Although authentication and authorization are two sides of the same coin (and work closely together), they are not two names for the same topic. Authentication is involved only with guaranteeing the identity of a user and does not concern itself with access control. Similarly, authorization is concerned only with granting or denying access to an authenticated user.

Prior to Windows 2000, Windows NT used ...

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