Patent ID: 7565554

Claim:
A method, for use in conjunction with a service process for securely providing a requested service, from a service provider, to a client device and for a service user, the method comprising the steps of: a. establishing, by the client device and through a client process situated in a security domain of the service user, a secure session with an authentication process, and sending, to the authentication process, a client identifier and a service request, the service request specifying the service which is then requested by the client device for the service user, the authentication process being situated in a security domain of either the service provider or a trusted third-party; b. verifying, through the authentication process, the client identifier so as to yield a verified client identifier, and sending, to an authorization process, the verified client identifier and the service request, the authorization process being situated in the security domain of the service provider; c. checking, through the authorization process, whether the service specified in the service request can be provided to the client device, and, if the service can be provided, a result of the check to the authentication process in the form of an authorized service request that includes a validity period, the validity period signifying a time period during which the authorized service request remains valid; d. generating, through the authentication process, a token that is associated with the authorized service request; e. sending, via the secure session and by the authentication process, to the client device the token and an address of the service process through which the requested service can be obtained, the service process being situated in a security domain of the service provider; f. contacting, by the client device, the service process and sending the token to the service process; g. sending, by the service process, the token to the authentication process; h. fetching, by the authentication process, the authorized service request associated with the token, checking, based on the validity period, whether the authorized service request is currently valid, and, if the authorized service request is currently valid, sending the authorized service request to the service process; and i. providing, via the service process, the service then requested by the client device for the service user.