Patent ID: 8327427

Claim:
A method for providing single sign-on to a user of a first device of a plurality of devices in a networked computing environment, the method comprising: controlling a plurality of applications on said first device by an operating system, the plurality of applications communicating with said operating system, said operating system generating an authentication request on behalf of the plurality of applications, said operating system coupled to only one single sign-on (SSO) interface located at said first device; receiving the authentication request generated by said operating system of the first device at said SSO interface located at said first device, said single sign-on interface coupled to a SSO provider, and said operating system supporting each of said plurality of applications on said first device; determining if authentication information required by said authentication request is available to said single sign-on interface from a storage location located on said first device, and if not available, requesting credentials required to authenticate said user for using an application making the authentication request; authenticating the credentials with information located in said SSO provider, said SSO provider used by each of said plurality of devices; and in response to a successful authentication of the required credentials, storing data indicative that the credentials have been authenticated at said storage location on said first device.