SECURITY TOKEN BASED USER AUTHENTICATION IN A MULTI-TENANTED APPLICATION

• US 20140215595A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Prasad, Kannan, Goswamee, Prabir Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 9,058,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers

Abstract

Systems and methods for security token based user authentication in a multi-tenanted application. An access request, from a user, is received to access at least one user account associated with the user in the multi-tenanted application. Upon receiving the access request, a security token is obtained for the user from a Security Token Service (STS) system. The security token is obtained upon authentication of the user based on login credentials provided by the user. Thereafter, a plurality of user accounts associated with the security token is determined. The plurality of user accounts includes the at least one user account. Further, an access to the plurality of user accounts is provided to the user.

Claims

1. A method for security token based user authentication in a multi-tenanted application, the method comprising:

receiving an access request from a user to access at least one user account associated with the user in the multi-tenanted application;

obtaining a security token for the user from a Security Token Service (STS) system upon receiving the access request, the security token being obtained upon authentication of the user based on login credentials provided by the user to an STS system;

determining a plurality of user accounts associated with the security token, the plurality of user accounts including the at least one user account; and

providing the user with access to the plurality of the user accounts in the multi-tenanted application.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the providing the user with access to the plurality of user accounts is based on pre-assigned roles.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying context of a default user account among the plurality of user accounts in the multi-tenanted application; and

switching context from the default user account to another user account among the plurality of user accounts.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises intercepting the access request, and diverting the access request to the STS system to authenticate the user.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving registration data from a tenant to register a user account of the user;

obtaining the security token from the STS system for authentication of the user; and

associating the security token with the user account for registering the user account in the multi-tenanted application.

6. An application server for security token based user authentication in a multi-tenanted application, the application server comprising:

a processor; and

an association module coupled to the processor to;

determine a plurality of user accounts associated with a security token of a user; and

provide the user with access to the plurality of the user accounts in the multi-tenanted application.

7. The application server as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a registration module coupled to the processor to:

receive registration data from a tenant to register a user account; and

register the user account with the tenant based on login credentials provided by the user to an STS system.

8. The application server as claimed in claim 7, wherein the association module associates the security token of the user provided by the STS system with the user account.

9. The application server as claimed in claim 6 further comprising an interception module coupled to the processor, to:

receive an access request from the user to access at least one user account associated with the user in the multi-tenanted application;

diverting the access request to the STS system for authentication of the user; and

obtain the security token for the user from the STS system upon authentication of the user based on login credentials provided by the user to the STS system.

10. The application server as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of user accounts are active user accounts associated with the user.

11. The application server as claimed in claim 6, wherein the association module switches context from a default user account in the plurality of user accounts to another user account in the plurality of user accounts based on selection by the user.

12. The application server as claimed in claim 6, wherein the association module provides a drop-down menu to the user to select the another user account.

13. The application server as claimed in claim 6, wherein the association module deactivates a user account from the plurality of user accounts on determining that the user is no longer associated with the tenant.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to:

receive an access request from a user to access at least one user account associated with the user in the multi-tenanted application;

divert the access request to an STS system for authentication for the user;

obtain a security token for the user from the STS system upon the authentication of the user; and

provide the user with access to a plurality of the user accounts associated with the security token, the plurality of user accounts including the at least one user account.