AUTHENTICATING A CREDENTIAL IN A DISPERSED STORAGE NETWORK

1 . A method for execution by a computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method comprises:

receiving, from a requesting device of the DSN, an access request, wherein at least one of the access request and the requesting device is associated with a credential;

determining whether an authentication of the credential is included in a local authentication list, wherein the local authentication list is stored in a cache of the computing device, and wherein, during a first timeframe, the authentication is operative to authenticate the credential; and

when the authentication of the credential is included in the local authentication list:

determining whether the first timeframe has expired based on a timestamp associated with the authentication, the first timeframe, and a current timestamp; and

when the first timeframe has expired:

determining whether a condition exists to extend a time for the authentication to be operative during a second timeframe; and

when the condition exists:

determining whether the second time frame has expired based on the timestamp associated with the authentication, the second timeframe, and a second current timestamp; and

when the second time frame has not expired, utilizing the authentication included in the local authentication list to authenticate the access request.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

dispersed storage error encoding the authentication into a set of encoded authentication slices, wherein a decode threshold number of encoded authentication slices of the set of encoded authentication slices is needed to recover the authentication; and

storing the set of encoded authentication slices in a set of storage units of the DSN.

3 . The method of claim 2 further comprises:

receiving a subsequent access request that includes the credential;

obtaining the decode threshold number of encoded authentication slices from the set of storage units;

dispersed storage error decoding the decode threshold number of encoded authentication slices to recover the authentication; and

utilizing the recovered authentication in authenticating the subsequent access request.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the authentication of the credential is not included in the local authentication list:

sending an authentication request to an authentication server regarding the credential;

receiving an authentication response that includes an indication of whether the credential is authentic; and

when the credential is authentic:

storing the authentication of the credential in at least one of, the cache of the computing device, and as a set of encoded authentication slices in a set of storage units of the DSN; and

utilizing the authentication to authenticate the access request.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the first timeframe has not expired:

utilizing the authentication included in the local authentication list to authenticate the access request.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the condition does not exist:

deleting the authentication from one or more of the local authentication list and a set of storage units of the DSN; and

denying the access request.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the second timeframe has expired:

deleting the authentication from one or more of the local authentication list and a set of storage units of the DSN.

8 . The method of claim 1 , where in the condition includes one or more of:

determining the authentication server is offline;

determining the authentication server is not responding within a response time period;

receiving an extension of time authorization from the authentication server; and

receiving a command.

9 . A computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN) comprises:

memory;

an interface; and

a processing module operably coupled to the memory and the interface, wherein the processing module is operable to:

receive, via the interface and from a requesting device of the DSN, an access request, wherein at least one of the access request and the requesting device is associated with a credential;

determine whether an authentication of the credential is included in a local authentication list, wherein the local authentication list is stored in a cache of the computing device, and wherein, during a first timeframe, the authentication is operative to authenticate the credential; and

when the authentication of the credential is included in the local authentication list:

determine whether the first timeframe has expired based on a timestamp associated with the authentication, the first timeframe, and a current timestamp; and

when the first timeframe has expired:

determine whether a condition exists to extend a time for the authentication to be operative during a second timeframe; and

when the condition exists:

determine whether the second time frame has expired based on the timestamp associated with the authentication, the second timeframe, and a second current timestamp; and

when the second time frame has not expired, utilize the authentication included in the local authentication list to authenticate the access request.

10 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:

dispersed storage error encode the authentication into a set of encoded authentication slices, wherein a decode threshold number of encoded authentication slices of the set of encoded authentication slices is needed to recover the authentication; and

send, via the interface, the set of encoded authentication slices to a set of storage units of the DSN for storage therein.

11 . The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:

receive, via the interface, a subsequent access request that includes the credential;

obtain, via the interface, the decode threshold number of encoded authentication slices from the set of storage units;

dispersed storage error decode the decode threshold number of encoded authentication slices to recover the authentication; and

utilize the recovered authentication in authenticating the subsequent access request.

12 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:

when the authentication of the credential is not included in the local authentication list:

send, via the interface, an authentication request to an authentication server regarding the credential;

receive, via the interface, an authentication response that includes an indication of whether the credential is authentic; and

when the credential is authentic:

store the authentication of the credential in at least one of, the cache of the computing device, and, via the interface, as a set of encoded authentication slices in a set of storage units of the DSN; and

utilize the authentication to authenticate the access request.

13 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:

when the first timeframe has not expired:

utilize the authentication included in the local authentication list to authenticate the access request.

14 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:

when the condition does not exist:

delete the authentication from one or more of the local authentication list and a set of storage units of the DSN; and

deny the access request.

15 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:

when the second timeframe has expired:

delete the authentication from one or more of the local authentication list and a set of storage units of the DSN.

16 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further operable to determine the condition by one or more of:

determining the authentication server is offline;

determining the authentication server is not responding within a response time period;

receiving, via the interface, an extension of time authorization from the authentication server; and

receiving, via the interface, a command.