Access control for federated identities

In a network environment, a method for providing secured access, comprising:

• receiving a request from a user for secured access to an enterprise network;
• in response to the request, interacting with the user to provide the user with an offering of a plurality of authentication methods;
• authenticating the user according to a designated authentication method selected by the user from the plurality of authentication methods, the authentication method performed using a security token issued by a third-party that is administered separately from the enterprise network;
• and
• providing secured access to the user upon confirmation of authentication;
• wherein providing secured access comprises linking the user to the content site upon confirmation of authentication based on a user registration method;
• and
• wherein the user registration method comprises:
• the user presenting the third-party security token to the content site;
• processing the third-party security token to verify its source;
• mapping the user to a default directory entry;
• presenting a form to the user prompting collection of information about the user;
• and
• upon verification of the authentication, linking the remote user to a secondary profile hosted at the content site.

In a network environment, a system for providing secured access, comprising:

• an enterprise network receiver for receiving a request for secured access from a user;
• an authenticator operable to:
• interact with the user, in response to the receiving the request, to provide the user with an offering of a plurality of authentication methods;
• and
• forward the user to a home site associated with a third-party for the user to obtain a third-party security token;
• authenticate the user according to a designated authentication method selected by the user from the plurality of authentication methods, the designated authentication method performed using the third-party security token issued by a third-party that is not the enterprise network and presented to the enterprise network by the user;
• and
• an access provider for providing secured access to the user upon confirmation of authentication.

A medium for use in a network environment on an electronic device, the medium holding instructions executable using the electronic device for performing a method of providing secured access, the method comprising:

• receiving a request from a user for secured access to an enterprise network;
• in response to the request, interacting with the user to provide the user with an offering of a plurality of authentication methods;
• forwarding the user to a home site associated with a third-party for the user to obtain a third-party security token;
• authenticating the user according to a designated authentication method selected by the user from the plurality of authentication methods, the authentication method performed using the third-party security token issued by a third-party that is not the enterprise network and presented to the enterprise network by the user;
• and
• providing secured access to the user upon confirmation of authentication.