What is a single sign-on (SSO)? Single sign-on (SSO) is an authentication method that enables a user to access multiple sessions in different applications with one set of login credentials.
Single sign-on is the most common method used for protecting sensitive data on web applications. SSO requires the user to provide an initial password when they begin creating an account. The application will then validate that the user is the intended person and has enough privileges to access the data in question. If any of these conditions are not met; if the user doesn't provide an initial password and account information that matches the information in their profile, the application will reject the account and inform them of this fact.
The PeerSpot community agrees that the two most necessary requirements of single sign-on solution are security and widespread usability. Users said the solution should support SSPI (Security Support Provider Interface), computer network authentication protocols such as Kerberos, and PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) like OAuth 2.0, along with lightweight directory access protocol applications.
A single sign-on (SSO) service involves an agent module sitting on the application server. When a user wants to access the network, the module retrieves the authentication credentials from a dedicated SSO policy server and compares them against a user repository. For example, a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP).
The advantage of SSO is that it authenticates the user for all of the applications the user has rights to. This eliminates the need for signing in for each application during the same session.
At the base of SSO is the relationship between a service provider and an identity provider in the form of a certificate exchange. This certificate proves that the identity information comes from a trusted source. In an SSO, the identification data is inside a token.
The usual flow consists of the following steps:
Despite all of these steps, the authentication process happens in a matter of seconds.
A token is a collection of identity information that goes from one system to another. A token may consist of a user’s email and password, and data about the system that is sending the information.
An example of a token is the way Google manages access to the products in G-Suite. Once you sign in to your Gmail, you get access to other applications, like YouTube, Google Drive, and Google Photos, without having to log in again for each app.
The token ensures you will gain access to multiple systems without needing to remember different credentials for each one.
SSO provides benefits in terms of security, customer experience, and reduced costs. The average organization uses an array of applications and services, both cloud-based and on-premises. A single sign-on helps to solve the tech sprawl by giving a single point of access.
In terms of security, SSO reduces the number of attack possibilities. User credentials are usually key targets for cybercriminals. The more credentials, the more opportunities for attackers to gain access. Single sign-on minimizes risk by requiring a single set of credentials.
SSO also helps with compliance, since many regulations require that organizations implement methods that protect data. SSO offers a way to effectively authenticate users who access electronic records as well as allowing for the automatic log-off of users.
Single sign-on also improves the employee’s experience. It saves time and improves productivity. Since most employees switch between an average of ten different apps for work, eliminating the need for signing in for each one saves considerable time and money.
SSO eliminates password fatigue and vulnerabilities. It also reduces the costs necessary to set up different help desks for resetting and management of passwords.
To implement an SSO in a central dashboard, you need two endpoints. One of the endpoints initiates an authentication request and redirects the user to a login form. The other endpoint accepts and receives the response, after a successful login process.
The data can be transferred from one entity to another by one of three methods:
Cross-domain single sign-on is a method for transferring user credentials across multiple secure domains. CDSSO allows the integration of multiple secure domains by enabling users to move between different domains with a single set of credentials.
A user can make a request to a resource located in another domain. The CDSSO transfers an identity token from the first domain to the second domain. Thus, the second domain can authenticate the user without the need for the user to provide new credentials.
The authentication flow for multiple domains is as follows:
