Privacy-aware ID gateway

1. A computer program product including one or more computer readable storage mediums collectively storing program instructions for user identification and authentication that are executable by a processor or programmable circuitry to cause the processor or programmable circuitry to perform operations comprising:

configuring a plurality of identification (ID) federations between a federation server and a plurality of applications such that each ID federation is between the federation server and one of the plurality of applications;

receiving a first authentication request for authenticating a first user who has been authenticated on a first application among the plurality of applications with a first user ID using an ID federation between the first application and the federation server from among the plurality of ID federations;

checking the first user ID to determine that the first user is authorized to access information of a second user on a second application among the plurality of applications; and

sending a second authentication request to a second application among the plurality of applications, the second authentication request for authenticating the first user with a second user ID, which is associated with the second user, using an ID federation between the federation server and the second application from among the plurality of ID federations.

2. The computer program product according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving includes receiving an identification of the second application with the first authentication request.

3. The computer program product according to claim 2 , wherein the sending includes sending the second authentication request in response to determining that the first user is authorized to access information of the second user ID.

4. The computer program product according to claim 1 , wherein the sending includes sending authority information of the first user ID.

5. The computer program product according to claim 1 , wherein the first user ID includes a user ID of the first user, or, an identification of the first application.

6. The computer program product according to claim 2 , wherein the checking includes:

obtaining condition information; and

checking whether the first user ID, the second application, and the second user ID satisfy a condition defined in the condition information.

7. The computer program product according to claim 6 , wherein the condition information includes at least one of a time when the information of the second user ID is recorded on the second application, and a record of the information of the second user ID on the second application.

8. The computer program product according to claim 6 , wherein the processor or programmable circuitry perform further operations comprising:

receiving an authorization of the second user from a client computer of the second user; and

updating the condition information to reflect the authorization of the second user.

9. The computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein the receiving a first authentication request comprises receiving the first authentication request from the first application.

10. The computer program product according to claim 6 , wherein the processor or programmable circuitry perform further operations comprising:

receiving an authorization of the second user from the first application.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10 , wherein the authorization of the second user includes a password input by the second user.

12. An apparatus for user identification and authentication, comprising:

a processor or programmable circuitry operably coupled to a memory, the memory storing program instructions that are executable to cause the processor or programmable circuitry to perform operations comprising:

configuring a plurality of identification (ID) federations between a federation server and a plurality of applications such that each ID federation is between the federation server and one of the plurality of applications;

receiving a first authentication request for authenticating a first user who has been authenticated on a first application among the plurality of applications with a first user ID using an ID federation between the first application and the federation server from among the plurality of ID federations;

checking the first user ID to determine that the first user is authorized to access information of a second user on a second application among the plurality of applications; and

sending a second authentication request to a second application among the plurality of applications, the second authentication request for authenticating the first user with a second user ID, which is associated with the second user, using an ID federation between the federation server and the second application from among the plurality of ID federations.

13. A system for user identification and authentication, comprising:

a first application server operable to execute a first application;

a second application server operable to execute a second application

a processor or programmable circuitry operably coupled to a memory, the memory storing program instructions that are executable to cause the processor or programmable circuitry to perform operations comprising:

configuring a plurality of identification (ID) federations between a federation server and a plurality of applications such that each ID federation is between the federation server and one of the plurality of applications;

receiving a first authentication request for authenticating a first user who has been authenticated on the first application among the plurality of applications with a first user ID using an ID federation between the first application and the federation server from among the plurality of ID federations;

checking the first user ID to determine that the first user is authorized to access information of a second user on the second application among the plurality of applications; and

sending a second authentication request to a second application among the plurality of applications, the second authentication request for authenticating the first user with a second user ID, which is associated with the second user, using an ID federation between the federation server and the second application from among the plurality of ID federations.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the second application server is configured to:

receive the second authentication request from the apparatus; and

send a notification to a client computer of the second user in response to receiving the second authentication request from the apparatus.

15. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the second application server is configured to:

receive the second authentication request from the apparatus;

authorize reading of the information of the second user on the second application; and

prohibit writing of the information of the second user on the second application in response to receiving the second authentication request from the apparatus.