Login
process by which an individual gains access to a computer system
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 or program by identifying and authenticating themselves.
Typically, user credentials consist of a username and a password.
These credentials themselves are sometimes referred to as a login.
Modern secure systems often require a second factor, such as email or SMS confirmation for extra security. Social login allows a user to use an existing cell phone number or user credentials from another email or social networking service to sign in 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.
Procedure
Logging in is usually used to enter a specific page, website, platform 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 when the user takes an action, such as entering an appropriate command or clicking on an external link. 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.
“Login” enters the record as process by which an individual gains access to a computer system. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Login, process and individual can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Login” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Login, process and individual provides the most credible route into that argument.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q472302. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Login”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Login primary sources, Login archive and Login research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Login”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Login” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.