What process is used to validate user credentials in an application?

The process of validating user credentials in an application is known as authentication. Authentication is the mechanism that confirms the identity of a user by verifying their credentials, such as usernames and passwords, biometric data, or security tokens. When users attempt to access an application, the authentication process ensures that they are who they claim to be, allowing legitimate users to gain access while preventing unauthorized access.

This process is distinct from authorization, which follows authentication and involves determining what resources or actions the authenticated user is permitted to access or perform within the application. Access control relates to the broader framework that governs both authentication and authorization, but specifically does not refer to the act of validating credentials itself. User verification is often used interchangeably with authentication in some contexts, but it is not the standard term used to describe the technical process involved in verifying credentials. Thus, authentication is the correct term for the process in question.