Single sign-on for remote applications

A system for permitting a single sign on experience to at least two remote applications comprising:

• at least two remote applications, the at least two remote applications requiring that a user is authenticated to access the application prior to granting the user access to the application;
• an authentication service configured to authenticate the user to access the at least two remote applications and further configured to authenticate the user to access a remote application service;
• and
• the remote application service hosting the at least two remote applications, the remote application service configured to receive credentials from a user to access the service and to receive from the authentication service at least one token indicating that the user is authorized to access the service, and further configured to use the at least one token to authenticate the user to use one of the at least two remote applications.

A computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions that when executed by at least one computer having at least one processor causes the computer to:

• register an application disposed on a user device with a remote application service;
• authenticate the user with the remote application service by providing from the remote application service user supplied credentials to an authentication service and receiving from the authentication service an access token granting the user access to the remote application service;
• connect the user with a remote application hosted by a remote desktop on the remote application service;
• authenticate the user to access the remote application by providing a request for a logon certificate to a credential authority wherein the request is based upon the access token received when authenticating the user to the service;
• receive a logon certificate from the credential authority;
• and
• log the user on to the remote application using the logon certificate.