Securing Your Application With a User Authentication Platform

In this article, we’ll be discussing how to secure your application login and the basics of user authentication (auth) options. We’ll go over what authentication is, how it works, and some of the benefits and drawbacks of using it. We’ll also touch on some of the different ways you can authenticate users in your applications and how to choose the right user authentication platform to easily secure your applications.

User Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a software application user. This is usually done by having the user provide some form of credentials, such as a username and password at registration and login. Once the user’s identity has been verified, they will be able to access the resources they are authorized to use.

What is User Authentication?

There are many different ways to authenticate a user. The most common method is to use a username and password, but other multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods, such as email verification, fingerprint, facial recognition or hardware keys, have become more popular. However, the proliferation of password phishing attacks has given rise to a new generation of authentication technology such as FIDO2 powered passwordless and Passkey solutions. 

Benefits of Authentication

There are many benefits to using user authentication in your applications. The most obvious benefit is that it helps to keep your application secure and builds trust in your user community. By registering and verifying the identity of your users, you can be sure that only authorized users are accessing your application resources. 

Another benefit of authentication is that it can help to improve the user experience. If users are required to log in to your application, you can customize the experience for them based on their individual preferences. This personalization can make your application more user-friendly and increase engagement.

Drawbacks of Authentication

There are also some drawbacks to using authentication. One of the biggest drawbacks is that it can add complexity to your application. If you’re using a traditional username and password system, you need to store and manage the credentials for each of your users. This can be a lot of work, and it can also be a security risk if the credentials are not managed properly.

Another drawback of authentication is that it can slow down the user experience. If users have to log in to your application, it can add an extra step that they have to go through before they can use your resources. This can be frustrating for users and can lead to them abandoning your application altogether.

Choosing a User Authentication Platform 

Securing your application can be easy while providing the highest level of security. The right user authentication platform should easily integrate the most secure technologies like Webauthn and be certified by independent third party security organizations like OpenID and FIDO. The right to user privacy is paramount and it’s imperative you choose a platform free of third party software like tracking technologies, which is the leading reason for password hacking embedded in many applications. To mitigate user authentication drawbacks of added complexity and slower user experience, choose a user auth platform that is easy to implement and customizable with open source SDK’s and security integrations.