HMAC Authentication is short for Hash-Based Message Authentication Code, a strategy used to verify the integrity and authenticity of a message. This strategy is different from other authenticaton methods in the way that it used a cryptographic key along with a hash function. The algorithm behind the hashed message authentication code is complicated by hashing being performed twice. This helps in resisting forms of cryptographic analysis and protecting against threats. A hashed message authentication code is considered to be more secure than other similar message authentication codes, as the data transmitted and key used in the process are hashed separately.
Sources: Techopedia, Mark Wolfe
Additional Reading: Detailing Veracode’s HMAC API Authentication
Related Terms: Authentication, Cryptography, Hashing, Two-Factor Authentication