Indirect user authentication

Abstract

As disclosed herein a method, executed by a computer, includes receiving, from a user, a request for access to a shared system, wherein the request comprises a user identifier and a user password corresponding to the user, and determining privileges corresponding to the shared system using the user identifier. The method further includes requesting, from an identity manager, a shared identifier and a shared password corresponding to the shared system, receiving, from the identity manager, the shared identifier and the shared password, and using the shared identifier and the shared password to enable the user to use the shared system. A computer system, and a computer program product corresponding to the above method are also disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a user, a request for access to a shared system, wherein the request comprises a user identifier and a user password corresponding to the user;   determining privileges corresponding to the shared system using the user identifier;   requesting, from an identity manager, a shared identifier and a shared password corresponding to the shared system;   receiving, from the identity manager, the shared identifier and the shared password; and   using the shared identifier and the shared password to enable the user to use the shared system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, providing the shared identifier to the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically authenticating the user on the shared system using the shared identifier and the shared password. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shared password is not provided to the user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein details regarding the request for access are retained in one or more logs. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, analyzing the one or more logs to determine that a particular user of the shared system did not follow a required protocol for obtaining the shared identifier and the shared password. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, prohibiting access to the shared system by the particular user. 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product comprising:
 one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising instructions to:   receive, from a user, a request for access to a shared system, wherein the request comprises a user identifier and a user password corresponding to the user;   determine privileges corresponding to the shared system using the user identifier;   request, from an identity manager, a shared identifier and a shared password corresponding to the shared system;   receive, from the identity manager, the shared identifier and the shared password; and   use the shared identifier and the shared password to enable the user to use the shared system.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the program instructions include instructions to provide the shared identifier to the user. 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the program instructions include instructions to automatically authenticate the user on the shared system using the shared identifier and the shared password. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the shared password is not provided to the user. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein details regarding the request for access are retained in one or more logs. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the program instructions include instructions to analyze the one or more logs to determine that a particular user of the shared system did not follow a required protocol for obtaining the shared identifier and the shared password. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the program instructions include instructions to prohibit access to the shared system by the particular user. 
     
     
         15 . A computer system comprising:
 one or more computer processors;   one or more computer readable storage media;   program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the computer processors, the program instructions comprising instructions to:   receive, from a user, a request for access to a shared system, wherein the request comprises a user identifier and a user password corresponding to the user;   determine privileges corresponding to the shared system using the user identifier;   request, from an identity manager, a shared identifier and a shared password corresponding to the shared system;   receive, from the identity manager, the shared identifier and the shared password; and   use the shared identifier and the shared password to enable the user to use the shared system.   
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the program instructions include instructions to provide the shared identifier to the user. 
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the program instructions include instructions to automatically authenticate the user on the shared system using the shared identifier and the shared password. 
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the shared password is not provided to the user. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein details regarding the request for access are retained in one or more logs. 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 19 , wherein the program instructions include instructions to analyze the one or more logs to determine that a particular user of the shared system did not follow a required protocol for obtaining the shared identifier and the shared password.