  Secure communication has achieved a new dimension with the advent of the
schemes of quantum key distribution (QKD) as in contrast to classical
cryptography, quantum cryptography can provide unconditional security. However,
a successful implementation of a scheme of QKD requires identity authentication
as a prerequisite. A security loophole in the identity authentication scheme
may lead to the vulnerability of the entire secure communication scheme.
Consequently, identity authentication is extremely important and in the last
three decades several schemes for identity authentication, using quantum
resources have been proposed. The chronological development of these protocols,
which are now referred to as quantum identity authentication (QIA) protocols,
are briefly reviewed here with specific attention to the causal connection
involved in their development. The existing protocols are classified on the
basis of the required quantum resources and their relative merits and demerits
are analyzed. Further, in the process of the classification of the protocols
for QIA, it's observed that the existing protocols can also be classified in a
few groups based on the inherent computational tasks used to design the
protocols. Realization of these symmetries has led to the possibility of
designing a set of new protocols for quantum identity authentication, which are
based on the existing schemes of the secure computational and communication
tasks. The security of such protocols is also critically analyzed.
