And much like network security, DMI security is composed of Authentication and Privacy, and Authorization. Authentication determines if a process wishing to access the DMI database is what it claims to be. It is achieved by using credentials that are somewhat unique to the process requesting authorization. For example, a user login using a user name and a password can be authenticated by matching the supplied password to a saved password. Other authorization tools are biometrics devices and secure ID cards.
Privacy prevents eavesdropping.
Thus private communication between the DMI SP and the authenticated entity is safe from third parties. For example, encryption is widely used to cipher information, preventing third-party access. Once an authenticated entity is communicating with the SP privately, authorization determines that entity's level of access to the DMI database. The most common form of authorization at the operating system level is file protection. Today's DMI relies on the security environments, defined as part of industry standard RPCs, to provide remote Authentication and Privacy on the communication link.