Secure identity federation for non-federated systems

1. A method of providing a unified access to non-federated systems, the method including:

storing a plurality of sets of user credentials for a plurality of remote computer applications in a central repository accessible via an interoperability network, wherein the plurality of remote computer applications are non-federated entities that do not share a common federated identity verification protocol;

receiving an interoperability network credential that authorizes a user to use the plurality of remote computer applications and access the stored plurality of sets of the user credentials;

wherein an intermediary service coupled to the interoperability network receives a request to perform, on behalf of the user, a particular task that requires access to and task performance by a particular remote computer application from the plurality of remote computer applications;

verifying that the intermediary service has authorization to act on behalf of the user in obtaining authorized access to and task performance by the particular remote computer application; and

upon verification of authorization, automatically supplying the intermediary service particular user credentials for the particular remote computer application from the central repository.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including for a plurality of intermediary services coupled to the interoperability network, receiving a selection from the user specifying at least one intermediary service to act on behalf of the user by accessing user's credentials.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including receiving instructions from the user specifying a degree of authorization of the intermediary service.

4. The method of claim 1 , where in the remote computer application is an on-demand service.

5. The method of claim 1 , where in the intermediary service is an on-demand service.

6. The method of claim 1 , where retrieving user credentials for the remote computer application includes applying a message enrichment prior to automatically providing the retrieved user credentials to the particular remote computer application.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the message enrichment includes at least one of a digital signature service and a traffic calculator for a purchase order.

8. The method of claim 1 , further including sending a notification to the user when the intermediary service accessing user's credentials.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the notification identifies at least one of:

the intermediary service;

the remote computer application for which the user credentials were accessed;

a user account associated with the user credentials; and

an outcome of the intermediary service accessing user's credentials.

10. The method of claim 8 , further including, in response to sending the notification, receiving instructions from the user for at least one of:

revoking the intermediary service's authorization to act on behalf of the user; and

modifying the intermediary service's authorization to act on behalf of the user.

11. A system of providing a unified access to non-federated systems, the system including:

one or more processors coupled to memory, the memory loaded with computer instructions that, when executed on the processors, implement actions including:

storing a plurality of sets of user credentials for a plurality of remote computer applications in a central repository accessible via an interoperability network, wherein the plurality of remote computer applications are non-federated entities that do not share a common federated identity verification protocol;

receiving an interoperability network credential that authorizes a user to use the plurality of remote computer applications and access the stored plurality of sets of the user credentials;

wherein an intermediary service coupled to the interoperability network receives a request to perform, on behalf of the user, a particular task that requires access to and task performance by a particular remote computer application from the plurality of remote computer applications;

verifying that the intermediary service has authorization to act on behalf of the user in obtaining authorized access to and task performance by the particular remote computer application; and

upon verification of authorization, automatically supplying the intermediary service particular user credentials for the particular remote computer application from the central repository.

12. The system of claim 11 , further configured to receive, for a plurality of intermediary services coupled to the interoperability network, a selection from the user specifying at least one intermediary service to act on behalf of the user by accessing user's credentials.

13. The system of claim 11 , further configured to receive instructions from the user specifying a degree of authorization of the intermediary service.

14. The system of claim 11 , where in the remote computer application is an on-demand service.

15. The system of claim 11 , where in the intermediary service is an on-demand service.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein retrieving user credentials for the remote computer application includes applying a message enrichment prior to automatically providing the retrieved user credentials to the particular remote computer application.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the message enrichment includes at least one of a digital signature service and a traffic calculator for a purchase order.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for programming one or more processors to provide a unified access to non-federated systems, the instructions, when executed on the processors, implementing actions including:

storing a plurality of sets of user credentials for a plurality of remote computer applications in a central repository accessible via an interoperability network, wherein the plurality of remote computer applications are non-federated entities that do not share a common federated identity verification protocol;

receiving an interoperability network credential that authorizes a user to use the plurality of remote computer applications and access the stored plurality of sets of the user credentials;

wherein an intermediary service coupled to the interoperability network receives a request to perform, on behalf of the user, a particular task that requires access to and task performance by a particular remote computer application from the plurality of remote computer applications;

verifying that the intermediary service has authorization to act on behalf of the user in obtaining authorized access to and task performance by the particular remote computer application; and

upon verification of authorization, automatically supplying the intermediary service particular user credentials for the particular remote computer application from the central repository.