Unauthorized access

Gaining access to a website, a software program, a server, or some other type of system usually require a password and username. If the username or password entered is incorrect, an Unauthorized Access message may be displayed. This means the user attempted to access the system and the authorization (username or password) was not valid and access was not granted.

If you can't remember your username or password for an online service such as Facebook, use the forgot password feature to send you an e-mail with a link to reset your account.

Unauthorized access could also occur if a user attempts to access an area of a system they should not be accessing. When attempting to access that area, they would be denied access and possibly see an Unauthorized Access message.

Some system administrators set up alerts to let them know when there is an unauthorized access attempt, so that they may investigate the reason. These alerts can help stop hackers from gaining access to a secure or confidential system. Many secure systems may also lock an account that has had too many failed login attempts.