The process of compiling a list of all security relevant events. This should include the user causing the event. The Audit Trail is a record of all events that take place on a system, and across a network. It should provide a trace of user actions so that security events can be related to the actions of a specific individual, and is therefore the basis of the accountability requirement for a secure system. A secure system requires that all users must identify themselves before they can perform any other system action.
Authentication is the process of establishing the validity of the user attempting to gain access.
Data authentication Verification that the integrity of data has not been compromised. These are then check-summed as to their contents and the checksum is then related to the author's signature. This allows the recipient to be sure that the files were created by the author, and that the contents of the cabinet files have not been tampered with in transit. Basically, the user places his trust in the authors and the accompanying certificate. This system can be subverted by the hacker creating his own certificate and using a name that at first glance looks like a legitimate company, such as 'MickySoft'.