Difference between authentication and authorization in ASP.NET

Authentication: Authentication refers to the process of verifying the identity of a user. In ASP.NET, it involves validating the credentials provided by the user, such as a username and password, against a known user database. This ensures that the user is who they claim to be.

Authorization: Authorization, on the other hand, is the process of determining the actions a user is allowed to perform after they have been successfully authenticated. In ASP.NET, authorization involves defining access control rules and permissions based on the user's role or identity.

Overall, authentication verifies the identity of a user, while authorization controls what actions they are allowed to perform within the application.