Patent ID: 6668327
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
In a distributed computing system, an authentication server arranged to provide a credential reference used by any of a number authenticated requesting clients to access a protected resource in a requested realm, comprising:a credential request verifier arranged to determine if additional authentication data is required by the authentication server in order to grant the credential reference to the requesting client; a realm authenticator coupled to the credential request verifier arranged to authenticate the requesting client in a requested realm when it is determined that the requesting client is allowed to access the requested realm; a credential translator coupled to the realm authenticator arranged to grant a requested privilege in the authenticated realm to the requesting client when it is determined that the requesting client is allowed the requested privilege in the authenticated realm; a credential generator coupled to the credential translator arranged to generate a credential in the authentication server; and a credential reference generator that provides the credential reference to the requesting client wherein the credential reference points back to the credential that allows the requesting client access to the protected resource.