Internet service login using preexisting services

• US 7,904,601 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Clark, Bryan, Fischer, Donald, Taylor, Owen, Pennington, Havoc, Walters, Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Zarni
• Application Number:
  US11/565,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20080134343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709227-229, 709/203, 709/250, 726/28
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for logging a client into an internet service using a preexisting service. In order to login, the user may select a link that triggers the service to send login information to the user via a preexisting service, such as instant messaging or email. In some embodiments, the user is sent a link via their preexisting service. The user then logs into the service by selecting the link.

Claims

1. A method of logging a client into an internet service using a preexisting service of a user, said method comprising:

receiving, at a processor, an internet service login from the user via the preexisting service;

sending, from the internet service to the user via the preexisting service, a message comprising a login link authorizing the user to access the internet service;

receiving, at the internet service, a response from the user indicating a selection of the login link; and

logging in the user to the internet service based on the selection of the login link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the message to the user that comprises the login link comprises sending the user an instant message that comprises the login link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the message to the user that comprises the login link comprises sending the user an email that comprises the login link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the message to the user that comprises the login link comprises sending the user a message that comprises a uniform resource locator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the message to the user that comprises the login link comprises sending the user a message that comprises a one-time uniform resource locator.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable program code for causing the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

7. A system configured to login users to an internet service via preexisting services of the user, said system comprising:

a database comprising account information of preexisting services of the user;

a web server comprising a processor configured execute a messaging agent of one of the preexisting services to;

receive an internet service login request from a user, and

send a message to the user comprising a login link authorizing the user to access the internet service; and

wherein the web server is further configured to receive a response from the user indicating a selection of the login link, to check the database based on the preexisting service from which the Internet service login request was received, and to log in the user to the internet service based on the check of the database.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the message is an instant message that comprises the login link.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the message is an email that comprises the login link.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a uniform resource locator.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a one-time uniform resource locator.

12. A method of logging a client into an internet service using a preexisting service of a user, said method comprising:

receiving, at a processor, a first message from the user via the preexisting service;

sending, from the internet service to the user via the preexisting service, a second message comprising a link authorizing the user to access the internet service;

receiving, at the internet service, a response from the user indicating a selection of the link; and

logging in the user to the internet service based on the selection of the link.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the preexisting service is an instant messaging service.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein sending the second message to the user comprises sending the user a message that comprises a uniform resource locator having a unique key.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein sending the second message to the user that comprises the link comprises sending the user a message that comprises a uniform resource locator having a unique key, which expires after a predetermined amount of time.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable program code to cause the processor to perform the method of claim 12.