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CompTIA Security+ 4.6 NIST 800-53 IA-12
InteractiveSecurityFree

Prove Who You Are First?

Identity proofing first, or is signing up enough? Decide for each online sign-up.

⚑ Complete this interactive to capture a CTF flag worth 5 points.

About this interactive

Most online accounts take your word for who you are. The Identity Proofing lesson's example is a free email account: you type a name, true or not, and the account is yours. Some services cannot work that way. Before they give you access, they need to know you are the real, legal person you claim to be, so they ask you to prove it: you set up an account and then upload a government ID, a driving licence or other documents, and they check them. The lesson's examples are a travel visa and a veteran card. That check is identity proofing. The services that need it are the ones where a false identity would do real harm: money (bank, brokerage and loan accounts), government services and benefits, legal status such as visas and licences, and medical records. Free sites for hobbies, games, news and newsletters lose little if a name is made up, so signing up is enough. A quick test for each card: would it matter if the person signing up were someone else?

What you'll learn

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+
4.6 Given a scenario, implement and maintain identity and access management.
NIST 800-53
IA-12 Identity Proofing

Key terms

Identity Proofing
The process of verifying a user's identity in a legally recognized manner, typically by submitting official documentation such as a government-issued ID, before granting access to a service.
Authentication
The process of verifying the identity of a user, device, or system.
Identity and Access Management
IAM
A framework of policies and technologies that ensures the right users have appropriate access to resources.

Topics

Identity And Access Management Identity Proofing Interactive Streak Sort

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