Patent ID: 7454622

Claim:
A method for providing security to a networked computing system comprising: receiving authentication credentials from an authentication client, wherein said authentication credentials are provided in response to a first request from a client and, wherein said authentication client invokes an Application Programming Interface (API) corresponding to a request type causing a corresponding interface to be displayed at a business application of said client and, wherein said interface facilitates collection of said authentication credentials; validating said authentication credentials received from said business application via said authentication client; generating random data based on said authentication credentials; retrieving a UNIX timestamp; creating an incremental token identifier; concatenating said random data, said UNIX timestamp, and said incremental token identifier to create a Binary Large Object (BLOB); applying an encryption algorithm with a fixed key to said BLOB to create a session token, wherein said fixed key is at least one of: Data Encryption Standard (DES), triple DES, and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES); issuing said session token to said client when said authentication credentials are validated, wherein said session token corresponds to stored user data comprising authentication level information identifying a manner by which said client was validated and access type information identifying characteristics of said first request; receiving, a second request from said client, wherein said second request includes said session token; validating said session token; retrieving from said stored user data, using said session token, user permissions corresponding to said session token; and, comparing said request to said user permissions, evaluating said authentication level information, and evaluating said access type information to determine when said second request is permissible.