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Concept
Login
Summary
In computer security, logging in (or logging on, signing in, or signing on) is the process by which an individual gains access to a computer system by identifying and authenticating themselves. The user credentials are typically some form of username and a matching password, and these credentials themselves are sometimes referred to as a login. In practice, modern secure systems often require a second factor such as email or SMS confirmation for extra security. Social login allows a user to use existing user credentials from a social networking service to sign in to or create an account on a new website.
When access is no longer needed, the user can log out, log off, sign out or sign off.
Logging in is usually used to enter a specific page, website or application, which trespassers cannot see. Once the user is logged in, the login token may be used to track what actions the user has taken while connected to the site. Logging out may be performed explicitly by the user taking some actions, such as entering the appropriate command or clicking a website link label as such. It can also be done implicitly, such as by the user powering off their workstation, closing a web browser window, leaving a website, or not refreshing a website within a defined period.
A login page may have a return URL parameter, which specifies where to redirect back after logging in or out. For example, it is returnto= on this site.
In the case of websites that use cookies to track sessions, when the user logs out, session-only cookies from that site will usually be deleted from the user's computer. In addition, the server invalidates any associations with the session, thereby making any session-handle in the user's cookie store useless. This feature comes in handy if the user is using a public computer or a computer that is using a public wireless connection. As a security precaution, one should not rely on implicit means of logging out of a system, especially not on a public computer; instead, one should explicitly log out and wait for the confirmation that this request has taken place.
Official source
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