Authentication is the process of verifying who you are, while authorization determines what you can do.
Best practices for secure Authentication include using secure password hashing, implementing multi-factor authentication, leveraging OAuth and Single Sign-On (SSO), and using JSON Web Tokens (JWT).
Best practices for Authorization include implementing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), applying the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP), and securing API endpoints.
Common security pitfalls to avoid include storing passwords in plain text, using weak passwords, not implementing rate limiting, and exposing sensitive data in JWT tokens.