Methods and devices for accessing protected applications

A client device accessing a protected application executing on an application server, the client device comprising:

• a processor;
• a communication system coupled to the processor for communicating over a network with a remote server and the application server;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor and storing processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
• transmit, to the application server, user credential information to establish a session at the application server for accessing the protected application;
• receiving, from the application server, a returned authentication credential, wherein the returned authentication credential is based on verification by the protected application of the transmitted user credential information;
• generate an authentication token based on the returned authentication credential, wherein the authentication token delegates, to the remote server, authenticated access to the established session with the application server, wherein the authentication token includes a session ID stored in a cookie, wherein prior to transferring the cookie associated with the protected application to the remote server for Session ID-based authentication between the client device and the application server, encrypting the cookie for accessing the protected application;
• transfer, to the remote server, the authentication token for storage at the remote server;
• and
• transmit a directive to the remote server to access the protected application executing on the application server, wherein the directive includes an identifier associated with the authentication token for accessing the protected application.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising processor-executable instructions which, when executed, configure a processor to:

• transmit, to an application server, user credential information to establish a session at the application server for accessing the protected application;
• receiving, from the application server, a returned authentication credential, wherein the returned authentication credential is based on verification by the protected application of the transmitted user credential information;
• generate an authentication token based on the returned authentication credential, wherein the authentication token delegates, to a remote server, authenticated access to the established session with the application server, wherein the authentication token includes a session ID stored in a cookie, wherein prior to transferring the cookie associated with the protected application to the remote server for Session ID-based authentication between the client device and the application server, encrypting the cookie for accessing the protected application;
• transfer, to the remote server, the authentication token for storage at the remote server;
• and
• transmit a directive to the remote server to access the protected application executing on the application server, wherein the directive includes an identifier associated with the authentication token for accessing the protected application.