UserAuthority provides a unified, secure communication layer for authenticating users to eBusiness applications. It enables applications to make intelligent authorization decisions based on VPN-1/FireWall-1 authentication and security information. UserAuthority captures authentication information from multiple sources within an organization - for example, VPN-1/FireWall-1 and Windows NT - and makes that information available to applications. Applications are able to make intelligent authorization decision based on this centralized authentication information without having to re-authenticate users. For application developers, leveraging existing authentication sources simplifies the process of creating secure applications and eliminates the need to create redundant databases of user authentication information. The Next Generation User Interface revolutionizes the way security administrators define and manage enterprise security by further integrating management functions into a security dashboard and creating a visual picture of security operations. The Next Generation User Interface delivers unparalleled ease-of-use, improved security and true end-to-end security management.