How do you choose the best SSO provider for your organization?

1 Benefits of SSO

SSO offers several advantages for both users and administrators. Users can avoid creating and remembering multiple passwords, which reduces the risk of forgetting or compromising them. They can also switch between different applications or websites seamlessly, without having to re-enter their credentials. Administrators can manage user accounts and access rights more easily, as they only have to maintain one identity provider (IdP). They can also enforce security policies and monitor user activity across multiple applications or websites.

2 Types of SSO

When choosing an SSO solution, there are several types to consider. Web SSO is used when the IdP and applications or websites are web-based, and authentication information is exchanged via protocols such as SAML, OAuth, or OpenID Connect. Enterprise SSO is used when the IdP and applications or websites are within the same network or domain, and protocols such as Kerberos or LDAP are used for authentication. Federated SSO is employed when the IdP and applications or websites belong to different organizations or domains, and protocols such as SAML or WS-Federation are used to establish trust and share identity information.

3 Features of SSO

When choosing an SSO provider, you should look for features that can enhance the security and usability of the SSO solution. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an important feature, as it requires users to provide more than one factor of authentication, such as a password and a code sent to their phone or email. Single logout (SLO) is also beneficial, as it allows users to log out of all the applications or websites they have accessed with one click. Identity and access management (IAM) is another key feature, providing tools and services to manage user identities and access rights across multiple applications or websites, like creating, updating, deleting, and auditing user accounts, roles, permissions, and policies.

4 Costs of SSO

When considering the implementation of SSO for your organization, you should be aware of the associated costs. Licensing fees are charged by the SSO provider, and may vary depending on the number of users, applications, or websites you want to integrate. Additionally, there will be implementation costs such as hiring consultants, developers, or engineers to assist with the technical aspects of the integration. Furthermore, maintenance costs should be taken into account for updating, troubleshooting, and supporting the SSO solution - this may include paying for technical support, security patches, upgrades, or backups.

5 Challenges of SSO

Despite its advantages, SSO does pose some challenges and risks for your organization. Compatibility issues may arise if different applications or websites do not support the same SSO protocols or standards, increasing complexity and cost of integration. Security breaches are also a risk; if the IdP is compromised, all applications or websites relying on it are vulnerable. To protect against this, strong security measures and policies should be in place, such as encryption, firewalls, audits, and backups. Finally, user education is important; users may need training or guidance on how to use SSO. Clear instructions and communication should be provided on how to access and log out of applications or websites with SSO.