Patent attributes
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.