Method for performing authentication in a distributed authentication system, comprising at least one client station; an authentication server and at least one service provider (31, 32, 33, 34) that are connectable to one another via at least one communication network (51; 52; 53 1, 53 2, 53 3) comprising the steps of a) the client station performing local authentication procedures for the user of the client station and tracking a variable local trust level indicating the result of the local authentication procedures and accessing or being provided access to the distributed authentication system only, if the local trust level lies above a first local threshold (TL M); b) the authentication server performing central authentication procedures for the user of the client station and tracking a variable central trust level for the client station indicating the result of the central authentication procedures; characterised by the steps of c) the authentication server communicating the obtained central trust level to the service providers (31, 32, 33, 34) preferably with a time of expiry; d) the client station sending a service request directly to a selected service provider (31, 32, 33, 34); e) the selected service provider (31, 32, 33, 34) granting the service request, in the event that the central trust level that has been communicated by the authentication server lies above a given threshold. a) the client station performing local authentication procedures for the user of the client station and tracking a variable local trust level indicating the result of the local authentication procedures and accessing or being provided access to the distributed authentication system only, if the local trust level lies above a first local threshold (TL M); b) the authentication server performing central authentication procedures for the user of the client station and tracking a variable central trust level for the client station indicating the result of the central authentication procedures; characterised by the steps of c) the authentication server communicating the obtained central trust level to the service providers (31, 32, 33, 34) preferably with a time of expiry; d) the client station sending a service request directly to a selected service provider (31, 32, 33, 34); e) the selected service provider (31, 32, 33, 34) granting the service request, in the event that the central trust level that has been communicated by the authentication server lies above a given threshold. a) the client station performing local authentication procedures for the user of the client station and tracking a variable local trust level indicating the result of the local authentication procedures and accessing or being provided access to the distributed authentication system only, if the local trust level lies above a first local threshold (TL M); b) the authentication server performing central authentication procedures for the user of the client station and tracking a variable central trust level for the client station indicating the result of the central authentication procedures; characterised by the steps of c) the authentication server communicating the obtained central trust level to the service providers (31, 32, 33, 34) preferably with a time of expiry; d) the client station sending a service request directly to a selected service provider (31, 32, 33, 34); e) the selected service provider (31, 32, 33, 34) granting the service request, in the event that the central trust level that has been communicated by the authentication server lies above a given threshold.