What does the authentication process verify?

The authentication process is primarily designed to verify the identity of users who are attempting to gain access to a system or resource. It ensures that the individual is who they claim to be, typically through methods such as passwords, biometric scans, or security tokens. This step is critical in maintaining security, as it prevents unauthorized users from accessing sensitive information or systems.

In the context of cybersecurity, successful authentication means that the system can trust the identity of the user before allowing further actions such as data access or system modifications. This process is fundamentally about validating credentials provided by the user against stored credentials to confirm their identity.

While the other options touch on related concepts, they do not encapsulate the main objective of the authentication process. For instance, monitoring whether actions are being performed correctly pertains to user behavior and permissions rather than identity verification. System performance or network health are operational aspects that fall under system administration or monitoring rather than authentication. Therefore, verifying the identity of users is the essential function of the authentication process.