Anauthenticator is an entity that can perform the cryptographic operations needed to register and authenticate users, and securely store the cryptographic keys used in these operations.

An authenticator might be implemented in hardware or software. It may be integrated into the device, like theTouch ID system in Apple devices or theWindows Hello system, or it might be a removable module like aYubiKey.

TheWeb Authentication API makes authenticators available to websites as part of theCredential Management API. This enables websites to use authenticators to generatecredentials based onpublic-key cryptography, which can then be used to sign users into websites.

See also

• Related glossary terms:
  • Authentication
  • Credential