Machine Authentication

Machine Authentication
Verification of the claimed identity of a non-human entity
Category	Security mechanism
Area	Artificial intelligence, robotics and connected systems
Related concepts	Robot Authentication, Public Key Infrastructure, Robot Identity Management

Machine authentication is the process of checking the identity of a device, service, workload or other non-human entity before accepting communications or granting access. Methods can include shared secrets, public-key credentials and other context-dependent mechanisms.

Credentials and enrollment

An organization typically provisions credentials when enrolling a component and associates them with an identifier, owner, role or inventory record. Credential security depends on key protection, rotation, revocation and secure provisioning.

Beyond identification

A device may prove control of a credential while still running vulnerable software or attempting an unauthorized command. Authentication should be followed by authorization and appropriate integrity or safety checks.

Robotic systems

For connected robots, separate identities may exist for controllers, individual devices, services and human operators. NIST zero trust guidance emphasizes that location on a network does not by itself establish trust.

See also

• Robot Authentication
• Public Key Infrastructure
• Robot Identity Management