Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing secure communications among users from different organizations. An example method includes: providing a communication service to (i) a first group of users from a first organization having a first computing environment and (ii) a second group of users from a second organization having a second computing environment; creating a data storage schema in the first computing environment; encrypting the data storage schema using an encryption key in the first computing environment; sending the encrypted data storage schema from the first computing environment to a cloud storage infrastructure; receiving the encrypted data storage schema from the cloud storage infrastructure in the second computing environment; decrypting the data storage schema using the encryption key in the second computing environment; and using the data storage schema to share data between the first group of users and the second group of users.

Abstract: An organization that wishes its messages to be secure (the “communicating organization”) uses services of a secure communications infrastructure to securely exchange communications among its users. The secure communications infrastructure allows granting to third-party applications the permission to act on behalf of the users when using the secure communications infrastructure. This delegation may be accomplished at a very granular level, specifying the particular applications that are authorized to act on behalf of a user, the particular operations that those applications are authorized to perform, and/or in which contexts the applications may perform the operations. An agent component acts as an intermediary between third-party applications and the core of the secure communications infrastructure. This permits the third-party application to take actions on behalf of the user, while also preventing the third-party applications from obtaining the security-specific data that could lead to a breach of security.

Abstract: A method and system for collecting and transmitting data across or through a firewall using HTTP and/or XML between computer systems that do not otherwise grant access to each other. A method and system for preparing data reports using data and report generation modules using HTTP and/or XML between computer systems.

Abstract: A single sign-on authentication system includes an authentication component that determines whether a user is authenticated, and, if it is determined that the user is authenticated, generates a connection request, the connection request including an identifier and entitlement information. The system also includes an interface component that receives the connection request from the authentication component. The interface component compares the received identifier with an expected identifier. If they match, the interface component makes the entitlement information available to a server associated with the interface component. A method for enabling an authenticated user to connect to a server in a computer network includes receiving a connection request for an authenticated user, the connection request including an identifier and entitlement information; comparing the received identifier with an expected identifier; and, if they match, making the entitlement information available to the server.