Patent ID: 8504704

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving, at a user device distinct from a webservice provider, a request from the webservice provider for user authentication and for authorization for release of information to a third party, the third party distinct from each of the user device, the webservice provider, and a homesite, wherein the request is configured to include an explanation of the information to be provided to the third party and an authentication security level that defines a lowest authentication security level of a plurality of authentication security levels, one of which is to be used for the user authentication; forwarding, by the user device to the homesite, the received request by causing redirection of a software application to the homesite; receiving, at the user device from the homesite, an indication of the user authentication, wherein the indication is configured to include a statement that the user authentication was performed at one of the authentication security levels within the plurality of authentication security levels; obtaining, by the user device, user input indicating an authorization for information release; and forwarding to the webservice provider, as a response to the request and based on the user input, a message containing an authorization for release of the information, the authorized release from the webservice provider to the third party, wherein the webservice provider is configured to send the information indicated in the message, to the third party, in response to receiving the forwarded message.