public synchronized void authenticate() throws PortalSecurityException {
    this.isauth = false;
    if (this.myPrincipal.UID != null && this.myOpaqueCredentials.credentialstring != null) {
      String first_name = null, last_name = null;
      try {
        String acct[] = AccountStoreFactory.getAccountStoreImpl().getUserAccountInformation(this.myPrincipal.UID);
        if (acct[0] != null) {
          first_name = acct[1];
          last_name = acct[2];
          this.myPrincipal.FullName = first_name + " " + last_name;
          if (log.isInfoEnabled())
              log.info( "User " + this.myPrincipal.UID + " is authenticated");

          // Encrypt our credentials using the spring-configured password
          // encryption service
          IStringEncryptionService encryptionService = PasswordEncryptionServiceLocator.getPasswordEncryptionService();
          String encryptedPassword = encryptionService.encrypt(new String(this.myOpaqueCredentials.credentialstring));
          byte[] encryptedPasswordBytes = encryptedPassword.getBytes();

          // Save our encrypted credentials so the parent's authenticate()
          // method doesn't blow them away.
          this.cachedcredentials = new byte[encryptedPasswordBytes.length];
          System.arraycopy(encryptedPasswordBytes, 0, this.cachedcredentials, 0, encryptedPasswordBytes.length);
          this.isauth = true;
        }
        else
            if (log.isInfoEnabled())
                log.info( "No such user: " + this.myPrincipal.UID);
      } catch (Exception e) {
        PortalSecurityException ep = new PortalSecurityException("SQL Database Error");
        log.error( "SQL database error", e);
        throw  (ep);
      }
    }
    else {
        if (this.myPrincipal.UID == null) {
            log.error( "Principal not initialized prior to authenticate");
        }
        if (this.myOpaqueCredentials.credentialstring == null) {
            log.error( "OpaqueCredentials not initialized prior to authenticate");
        }
    }
    // Ok...we are now ready to authenticate all of our subcontexts.
    super.authenticate();
    return;
  }