Federated management framework for credential data. The framework permits credential-using applications to provide user interface panels and associated semantics to manage the credentials that are relevant to each application. This framework is suitable for use in a multi-application environment where credentials are shared among each the applications. With this framework, each management user interface associated with one of the applications can have the credentials appear in the interface. Furthermore, the framework can detect when one application's management user interface attempts a modification to a credential that will affect another application that has an interest that credential.