Overview#

Message Authentication (or Data origin authentication) techniques provide to one party which receives a message assurance (through corroborative evidence) of the identity of the party which originated the message.

Message Authentication is most visible as using Message Authentication Code

Example Why Message Authentication is needed#

Example (need for data origin authentication) A sends to B an electronic mail message (e-mail). The message may travel through various network communications systems and be stored for B to retrieve at some later time. A and B are usually not in direct communication. B would like some means to verify that the message received and purportedly created by A did indeed originate from A. Data origin authentication implicitly provides data integrity since, if the message was modified during transmission, A would no longer be the originator.

More Information#

There might be more information for this subject on one of the following:

• Authentication
• Entity Authentication