Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Oracle America, Inc.

Bhavna Bhatnagar

Ping Luo

Qingwen Cheng

Aravindan Ranganathan

Shivaram Bhat

Wei Sun

Hong Xu

Heng-Ming Hsu

A method for managing access to multiple applications using a central server. The method includes receiving a user name and password from an application for a user, generating identity assertion information using the user name and password, generating an artifact associated with the identity assertion information, sending the artifact to the application, receiving the artifact and a request for the identity assertion information from a second application, verifying the validity of the artifact, and sending the identity assertion information to the second application. The second application uses the identity assertion information to authorize the user to access the second application.

Method and system for transferring identity assertion information between trusted partner sites in a network using artifacts

Embodiments of the present invention provide a circle of trust on a network. The circle of trust is configured by exchanging credential of a first and a second affiliated entity. The credentials of the first affiliated entity is stored in a trusted partner list of the second affiliated entity. The credentials of the second affiliated entity is stored in a trusted partner list of the first affiliated entity. Thereafter, a circle of trust session may be provided when a client device initiates use of a resource on a relying party device by providing an authentication assertion reference. The identity of the issuing party of the authentication is determined as a function of the authentication assertion reference. The relying party sends an authentication query containing its credential to the issuing party. The issuing party determines if the relying party is a trusted entity based upon whether the relying party's credential is contained in the trusted partner list of the issuing party.

Method and system for providing a circle of trust on a network

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a mechanism for implementing navigation seamlessly between sites in a computing environment in order to access resources without having to require users or user agents to re-authenticate. In one embodiment, there is provided the ability to determine different attribute sets for use with different resources on a target site for a user or user agent authenticated with a first site seeking to access one or more resources of the second site without re-authenticating. In one embodiment, there is provided the ability to map accounts on a first site to accounts on the second site using a set of attributes selected from among attributes provided by an application on the first site. With this mechanism, it is possible for applications or other resources to share information about a user or a user agent across disparate web sites seamlessly.

Methods for more flexible SAML session

Embodiments of the present invention provide an open and interoperable single sign-on session in a heterogeneous communication network. The open and interoperable single sign-on system is configured by exchanging an entity identifier, an account mapping, an attribute mapping, a site attribute list, an action mapping and/or the like. The entity identifier, account mapping, attribute mapping, site attribute list, action mapping and the like for each partner entity is stored in a partner list accessable to the particular entity. Thereafter, the open and interoperable single sign-on session may be provided upon receipt of a SAML request or assertion containing an entity identifier. The entity identifier contained in the SAML request or assertion is looked-up in the partner list of the particular entity which received the SAML request or assertion. A record containing a matching entity identifier provides the applicable account mapping, attribute mapping, site attribute list, and/or action mapping. The one or more mappings are then utilized to process the SAML request or assertion.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Bhavna Bhatnagar