Method and system for maintaining secure access to web server services using server-delegated permissions

A system for providing secure access to a service on a service web server comprising:

• a permission web server that maintains a first permission, wherein the first permission comprises a label related to the service and a digital signature of a first user;
• that provides a second user access to the first permission upon the second user authenticating to the permission web server;
• and that provides the second user a permission comprising the first permission and a permission link comprising the label and a digital signature of the permission web server;
• and
• the service web server that receives from the second user a request to access the service and the permission;
• that verifies the digital signature of the permission web server and the digital signature of the first user in the permission;
• and that provides the second user access to the service if the verification produces a positive result.

A method of providing secure access to a service on a service web server comprising:

• (a) maintaining at a permission web server a first permission, wherein the first permission comprises a label related to the service and a digital signature of a first user;
• (b) providing access to the first permission to a second user upon said second user authenticating to said permission web server;
• (c) providing the second user a permission comprising the first permission and a permission link comprising the label and a digital signature of the permission web server;
• (d) receiving at the service web server from a subsequent user a request to access the service, the subsequent user having been delegated a subsequent permission comprising the permission;
• (e) receiving the subsequent permission from the subsequent user at the service web server;
• (f) verifying at least the digital signature of the permission web server and the digital signature of the first user in the permission;
• and
• (g) providing the subsequent user access to the service if step (f) produces a positive result.

A system for providing secure access to a service on a service web server comprising:

• a permission web server that maintains a first permission, wherein the first permission comprises a label related to the service and a digital signature of a first user;
• that provides a second user access to the first permission upon the second user authenticating to the permission web server;
• and that provides to the second user a permission comprising the first permission and a permission link comprising the label and a digital signature of the permission web server;
• and
• the service web server that receives from a subsequent user a request to access the service and a subsequent permission, comprising the permission, the subsequent user having been delegated the subsequent permission;
• that verifies at least the digital signature of the permission web server and the digital signature of the first user in the permission;
• and that provides the subsequent user access to the service if the verification produces a positive result.