Editing Authenticator (section)

====Memorized secret====

A memorized secret is intended to be memorized by the user. A well-known example of a memorized secret is the common [[password]], also called a passcode, a [[passphrase]], or a [[personal identification number]] (PIN).

An authenticator secret known to both the claimant and the verifier is called a [[shared secret]]. For example, a memorized secret may or may not be shared. A symmetric key is shared by definition. A private key is not shared.


An important type of secret that is both memorized and shared is the password. In the special case of a password, the authenticator '''is''' the secret.