22. A computer-readable storage device with executable program code stored thereon, the program code for implementing Asynchronous Java Script and XML (AJAX) form-based authentication using Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition, wherein the program code is executable to: determine whether an AJAX request received from an AJAX-enabled application on a client is a request for data marked as secure or not marked as secure; redirect the AJAX client request to an authentication required servlet in response to determining that the AJAX request is for data marked as secure; issue an AJAX response to the AJAX-enabled application on the client if the AJAX request is redirected to the authentication required servlet, the AJAX response, independently of a server-side security credential form, directing the AJAX-enabled application on the client to obtain user security credentials and to return the obtained security; authenticate the user security credentials using a web container authentication service, the user security credentials received by way of an AJAX form-based authentication request such that the authentication module simulates a conventional form submission without actually using a form on the server-side; and process the client request for secure data in response to a positive authentication of the user security credentials.
22. A computer-readable storage device with executable program code stored thereon, the program code for implementing Asynchronous Java Script and XML (AJAX) form-based authentication using Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition, wherein the program code is executable to: determine whether an AJAX request received from an AJAX-enabled application on a client is a request for data marked as secure or not marked as secure; redirect the AJAX client request to an authentication required servlet in response to determining that the AJAX request is for data marked as secure; issue an AJAX response to the AJAX-enabled application on the client if the AJAX request is redirected to the authentication required servlet, the AJAX response, independently of a server-side security credential form, directing the AJAX-enabled application on the client to obtain user security credentials and to return the obtained security; authenticate the user security credentials using a web container authentication service, the user security credentials received by way of an AJAX form-based authentication request such that the authentication module simulates a conventional form submission without actually using a form on the server-side; and process the client request for secure data in response to a positive authentication of the user security credentials. 24. The computer-readable storage device of claim 22 , wherein the program is further configured to redirect an AJAX logoff request to a session invalidation servlet, the session invalidation servlet configured to invalidate a session object associated with the AJAX logoff request.