Patent ID: 8307411

Claim:
A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable components for execution on a client device, the computer-executable components comprising: an authentication component, comprising a first Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) component located on the client device, that, when executed, authenticates with an authenticator that is external to the client device using first credential information; and an application component, located on the client device, that, when executed, receives a description of the first credential information from the authentication component, builds a user interface, and obtains the first credential information through the user interface for an entity in accordance with the description and provides the obtained first credential information to the authentication component; a second EAP component that, when executed, performs a method of authenticating the entity using second credential information entered through the user interface which prompts the entity to enter the credential information and the second credential information; wherein: the authentication component is separate from the application component and authenticates with the authenticator by performing a method for authenticating the entity to the authenticator that is external to the client device using at least the first credential information.