Click on the first letter of the word you want defined. There are links within definitions to other terms in the glossary. For more detailed definitions, visit Webopedia or TechWeb . An access provider is a company that provides you with access to the Internet. You connect your personal computer to the provider's remote computer to make the connection.
Some access providers are large commercial services that also offer proprietary content.
Others are small local or regional companies that offer just Internet access. If you connect to the Internet directly from your computer at work, then your company is your access provider. The process of making sure you are the person you say you are. The most common form of authentication is the user name and password system, such as the one you use to login to your computer system or the PIN number you use at an automated teller machine. The process of granting individuals rights of access to data and programs based on identity.