OPTIMIZED TOKEN-BASED PROXY AUTHENTICATION

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for authentication of users in a service-to-service context. At a first service, a user authentication token is received from a client device that was obtained from an identity provider. The user authentication token was received to enable access to the first service by a user. The user is authenticated based on the user authentication token. A second service is determined to be needed to be accessed by the first service on behalf of the user. The user authentication token is converted into a proxy token that is not convertible back to the user authentication token. The proxy token is forwarded from the first service to the second service to enable access to the second service. A response is received by the first service from the second service due to the user having been authenticated based on the proxy token.