Abstract: Method for authenticating a user, comprising the steps of a)providing a central server (101), in communication with at least one authentication service provider (110, 120, 130), arranged to authenticate users via a respective authentication web interface, and at least one user service provider (150), arranged to provide user services to users via a respective user service web interface; b) providing, for a particular user and using a web browser in an electronic device (170, 180), access to the authentication web interface, and upon an authentication of the user, the central server placing a cookie on the electronic device identifying the authentication service provider; c) providing, for the user and using the same web browser executed from the same electronic device, access to the user service web interface, and as a result providing the said cookie to the central server; d) identifying, based upon the said cookie, the authentication service provider; e) redirecting the web browser to the authentication ser

Abstract: Method for authenticating a user, comprising the steps of a) providing a central server (101), in communication with at least two authentication service providers (110,120,130) and at least one user service provider (150); b) associating each authentication service provider with at least one respective available level of authentication; c) receiving a request from the user service provider to authenticate a particular user accessing the user service provider via an electronic device (170,180); d) identifying a minimum level of authentication; e) the central server identifying a selected one (110) of said authentication service providers; f) either providing user credential data directly to the selected authentication service provider, without said user credential data being supplied to the central server, or determining that the selected authentication service provider has an active authentication session for the particular user; and g) causing the selected authentication service provider to authenticate the