Patent ID: 8898799

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of establishing trust between a service provider and a client of the service provider through an identity provider that is trusted by the service provider, the method comprising: configuring a first channel between the identity provider and the service provider with a first cryptographic protocol, wherein the first channel is configured such that data received by the identity provider from the service provider via the first channel is signed by the service provider according to the first cryptographic protocol; determining that the data received by the identity provider via the first channel is authentic according to the first cryptographic protocol; identifying a medium for communications between a party and the identity provider, wherein the party is associated with the client, the party is known by the identity provider, and the data received by the identity provider from the service provider via the first channel identifies the party, and wherein the medium is predetermined by the identity provider at least in relation to determining whether the data received via the first channel is authentic; requesting the party to identify itself with identification data to the identity provider via the predetermined medium; determining, up to a predetermined level of trust, that the identification data provided by the party corresponds to stored identification data of the party held by the identity provider; and sharing a first secret with the party via a further channel, wherein the first secret is used by the client in establishing trust between the client and the service provider.