A method and system permits efficient user authentication based on a
gateway rather than information or hardware of a user's communication
device. The system may include a gateway that is operated by a trusted
entity, the gateway logically connected between a communication network,
such as the Internet, and the user's device. The gateway can authenticate
a user using device-specific as well as user-specific identifiers, and
the authentication can then be passed on to multiple applications that
are accessible via the network.