Patent ID: 8196193
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of retrofitting an existing, password enabled client-server based computer software application desired to be run by a user, with a redirected authentication method to allow it to leverage newer authentication methods it does not otherwise support, said method comprising the acts of: providing a client-side authentication redirection plug-in to an existing client side computer software application component, said client-side authentication redirection plug-in consisting of machine-readable computer instructions; providing a server-side authentication redirection plug-in to an existing server-side computer software application component, said server-side authentication redirection plug-in consisting of machine-readable computer instructions; generating, by a user on a user computer device, a request to access said existing, password enabled, client-server based computer software application, said request directed to said existing client-server based computer software application desired to be run by a user, said request having an associated user name; intercepting, by said client-side authentication redirection plug-in, said user generated request to access said existing password enabled, client-server based computer software intended for said computer software application desired to be run by a user; redirecting, to a user identification service and by said client-side authentication redirection plug-in, said request to access said existing password based computer software application; responsive to said redirected request, said user identification service establishing two-way communication with said user computer device in order to verify user identity; responsive to said user identification service establishing two-way communication with said user computer device, said user identification service generating a user specific user authenticator and forwarding said user specific user authenticator to said client-side authentication redirection plug-in; responsive to receipt of said user specific user authenticator by said client-side authentication redirection plug-in, said client-side authentication redirection plug-in generating a user specific associated random identifier, and forwarding said user specific user authenticator and said user specific associated random identifier to said server-side authentication redirection plug-in on a server device; responsive to receipt of said user specific user authenticator and said user specific associated random identifier by said server-side authentication redirection plug-in on said server device, said server device storing said user specific user authenticator and said user specific associated random identifier; forwarding, by said client-side authentication redirection plug-in to said existing server-side computer software application component over a user name and password communication path, said user name and said user specific associated random identifier; sending, by said server-side authentication redirection plug-in on said server device, an indication of said successful receipt of said user name and said user specific associated random identifier to said client-side authentication redirection plug-in; responsive to receipt of said user name and user specific associated random identifier, said server-side authentication redirection plug-in first verifying said user authentication by comparing said user specific associated random identifier with one or more user specific associated random identifiers stored on said server device to insure that said user specific associated random identifier is associated with the user specific user authenticator, and secondly verifying that said user specific user authenticator provided by said user identification service is associated with the user name forwarded by said client-side authentication redirection plug-in to said existing server-side computer software application component over said user name and password communication path; responsive to said verified user authentication and said verification that said user specific user authenticator provided by said user identification service is associated with the user name forwarded by said client-side authentication redirection plug-in successful verifications, said server-side authentication redirection plug-in overriding authentication decision of said existing server-side computer software application component; and responsive to receipt of authentication override by said existing server-side software application component, allowing access by said authenticated user to said existing software application.