diff --git a/lib/authentication/authenticationutil.inc.php b/lib/authentication/authenticationutil.inc.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ea7402
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/authentication/authenticationutil.inc.php
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+<?php
+
+require_once(KT_LIB_DIR .  '/authentication/authenticationsource.inc.php');
+require_once(KT_LIB_DIR .  '/authentication/builtinauthenticationprovider.inc.php');
+require_once(KT_LIB_DIR .  '/authentication/authenticationproviderregistry.inc.php');
+
+class KTAuthenticationUtil {
+    function checkPassword ($oUser, $sPassword) {
+        $oUser =& KTUtil::getObject('User', $oUser);
+        $oAuthenticator =& KTAuthenticationUtil::getAuthenticatorForUser($oUser);
+        return $oAuthenticator->checkPassword($oUser, $sPassword);
+    }
+
+    function &getAuthenticatorForUser($oUser) {
+        $iAuthenticationSourceId = $oUser->getAuthenticationSourceId();
+        if (empty($iAuthenticationSourceId)) {
+            $oProvider = new KTBuiltinAuthenticationProvider;
+        } else {
+            $oSource = KTAuthenticationSource::get($iAuthenticationSourceId);
+            $sProvider = $oSource->getAuthenticationProvider();
+            $oRegistry =& KTAuthenticationProviderRegistry::getSingleton();
+            $oProvider = $oRegistry->getAuthenticationProvider($sProvider);
+        }
+        return $oProvider->getAuthenticator($oSource);
+    }
+}