A user is authenticated for a relying computing entity (e.g., an
enterprise) through an authentication broker service, wherein a trust
relationship exists between the relying computing entity and the
authentication broker service. The authentication broker service has a
trust relationship with the relying computing entity and the
authentication service that issued the identity of the user. The relying
computing entity asks the authentication broker service to authenticate
the identity of the user. The authentication broker service captures the
user's credential (or directs the authentication service to do so) and
sends an authentication response (e.g., a token) to the relying computing
entity in order to authenticate the identity of the user to the relying
computing entity. The relying computing entity verifies the
authentication response based on the trust relationship between the
relying computing entity and the authentication broker service.