Patent ID: 8819814

Claim:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions for restricting use of service accounts, each service account allowing access to a respective resource within an enterprise, said computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for: receiving a request from an application to use a service account of a plurality of service accounts each including a number of resource credentials, said resource credentials including a service account identification, configuration information needed for the service account, and a resource password, said request including an identification for said application; determining, in response to receiving the request, whether said application is authorized to use said service account of the plurality of service accounts based on said identification for said application, wherein determining includes referencing: a first database table including the plurality of service accounts and a respective number of resource credentials associated therewith, wherein said plurality of service accounts includes said service account; and a second database table including applications that have been authorized to use at least one service account of said plurality of service accounts; retrieving the number of resource credentials associated with said service account of the plurality of service accounts in response to determining that said application is authorized to use said service account of the plurality of service accounts; connecting, utilizing the retrieved number of resource credentials associated with said service account, said application to an appropriate resource; caching one or more of the retrieved number of resource credentials of said service account; and allowing service account owners and security personnel to manage said plurality of service accounts, including: establishing a secure identity for each application; and granting authorization to said application to use said service account.