Single Sign-On

Single sign-on (SSO) is an authentication method that enables users to securely authenticate with multiple applications and websites by using just one set of credentials.

How Does SSO Work?

SSO works based upon a trust relationship set up between an application, known as the service provider, and an identity provider. This trust relationship is often based upon a certificate that is exchanged between the identity provider and the service provider. This certificate can be used to sign identity information that is being sent from the identity provider to the service provider so that the service provider knows it is coming from a trusted source. In SSO, this identity data takes the form of tokens which contain identifying bits of information about the user like a user’s email address or a username.

The login flow usually looks like this:

A user browses to the application or website they want access to, aka, the Service Provider.
The Service Provider sends a token that contains some information about the user, like their email address, to the SSO system, aka, the Identity Provider, as part of a request to authenticate the user.
The Identity Provider first checks to see whether the user has already been authenticated, in which case it will grant the user access to the Service Provider application and skip to step 5.
If the user hasn’t logged in, they will be prompted to do so by providing the credentials required by the Identity Provider. This could simply be a username and password, or it might include some other form of authentication like a One-Time Password (OTP).
Once the Identity Provider validates the credentials provided, it will send a token back to the Service Provider confirming a successful authentication.
This token is passed through the user’s browser to the Service Provider.
The token that is received by the Service Provider is validated according to the trust relationship that was set up between the Service Provider and the Identity Provider during the initial configuration.
The user is granted access to the Service Provider.

When the user tries to access a different website, the new website would have to have a similar trust relationship configured with the SSO solution and the authentication flow would follow the same steps.

What is an SSO Token?

An SSO token is a collection of data or information that is passed from one system to another during the SSO process. The data can simply be a user’s email address and information about which system is sending the token. Tokens must be digitally signed for the token receiver to verify that the token is coming from a trusted source. The certificate that is used for this digital signature is exchanged during the initial configuration process.

Is SSO Secure?

The answer to this question is “It depends.”

There are many reasons why SSO can improve security. A single sign-on solution can simplify username and password management for both users and administrators. Users no longer have to keep track of different sets of credentials and can simply remember a single more complex password. SSO often enables users to just get access to their applications much faster.

SSO can also cut down on the amount of time the help desk has to spend on assisting users with lost passwords. Administrators can centrally control requirements like password complexity and multi-factor authentication (MFA). Administrators can also more quickly relinquish login privileges across the board when a user leaves the organization.

Single Sign-On does have some drawbacks. For example, you might have applications that you want to have locked down a bit more. For this reason, it would be important to choose an SSO solution that gives you the ability to, say, require an additional authentication factor before a user logs into a particular application or that prevents users from accessing certain applications unless they are connected to a secure network.

How is SSO Implemented?

The specifics on how an SSO solution is implemented will differ depending on what exact SSO solution you are working with. But no matter what the specific steps are, you need to make sure you have set clear objectives and goals for your implementation. Make sure you answer the following questions:

What Makes a True SSO System?

It’s important to understand the difference between single sign-on and password vaulting or password managers, which are sometimes referred to as SSO which can mean Same Sign-on not Single Sign-on. With password vaulting, you may have the same username and password, but they need to be entered each time you move to a different application or website. The password vaulting system is simply storing your credentials for all the different applications and inserting them when necessary. There is no trust relationship set up between the applications and the password vaulting system.

With SSO, meaning Single Sign-On, after you’re logged in via the SSO solution, you can access all company-approved applications and websites without having to log in again. That includes cloud applications as well as on-prem applications, often available through an SSO portal (also called a login portal).

What is an SSO Software vs an SSO Solution

When researching SSO options that are available, you might see them sometimes referred to as SSO software vs an SSO solution vs an SSO provider. In many cases, the difference might simply be in the way the companies have categorized themselves. A piece of software suggests something that is installed on-premise. It is usually designed to do a specific set of tasks and nothing else. A solution suggests that there is the ability to expand or customize the capabilities of the core product. A provider would be a way to refer to the company that is producing or hosting the solution.

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