Employees often juggle multiple logins, leading to security risks and roadblocks. The simple truth is that these inefficiencies need not even pop up.
Enterprise SSO solves both these issues, making sure only the right users have access to the right software.
If you’re not sure how that is different from regular, we’ll dive into that and everything else you need to know.
What is Enterprise SSO?
Enterprise Single Sign-On (SSO) simplifies authentication by allowing users to sign in once and gain access to all approved applications without repeated credential entry.
Single sign-on(SSO) works with Identity Providers (IdPs) and supports authentication standards like SAML, OAuth, and OpenID Connect (OIDC), making access across multiple platforms more secure and efficient.
But, summarizing what is enterprise SSO? Well, for SaaS businesses, SSO compatibility makes products easier to adopt for enterprise customers who rely on centralized authentication.
Why Enterprise SSO Matters
Managing passwords across different applications leads to higher operational costs, security vulnerabilities, and user frustration. Without a unified authentication method, businesses face:
- Higher risks of credential theft and phishing attacks
- Increased IT support workload due to password reset requests
- Compliance challenges due to inconsistent access policies
Enterprise SSO helps address these challenges by consolidating authentication into a single access point, allowing for better security and improved workflows.
If your question is how do I integrate SSO with existing enterprise systems? The simple answer would be using an enterprise SSO provider that can enable this for either your workforce or platform.
Key Benefits of Implementing Enterprise SSO
The benefits of SSO in the SSO vary based on the type of SSO use case, however, here is a quick rundown of the benefits of SSO in enterprises.
Stronger Security Measures
By reducing the number of passwords employees need to remember, Enterprise SSO solutions lower exposure to phishing attacks and unauthorized access attempts. When paired with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), identity verification becomes even more effective.
- SAML, OIDC and OAuth are SSO protocols that remove the need for passwords with encrypted tokens - this makes it a lot less likely to get hacked.
- Unlike password managers, with enterprise SSO you can have centralized access control based on attributes or groups you put in place. With an IAM solution or SSO provider you can add and remove access for hundreds of users in one go or with automated user lifecycle management.
- If you opt for a zero-trust SSO provider, you can make sure that authentication is verified at fixed intervals and other aspects like the device used to login, the location and IP address are taken into account for risk-based authentication.
Faster Access Across Applications
With a single login, employees move between applications without repeated authentication steps. This cuts down on delays and allows teams to focus on their work instead of managing credentials.
- In an Enterprise, using an SSO provider, you can put alternative systems in place that grant departments and new joiners access to hundreds of applications based automatically or in seconds.
- When paired with biometrics, OTPs, push notifications and QR code scans, granting secure access using enterprise SSO solutions becomes both quick and a lot more secure than a traditional password.
Lower IT Support Costs
Since fewer passwords are required, employees are less likely to forget them, reducing the number of IT support requests for password resets. This allows IT teams to deal with bigger, more macro processes and look more at improving the overall security frameworks in place.
- Since most enterprise SSO solutions have features like RBAC, ABAC, and PBAC granting access to new joiners and teams, granting access can become automated or a whole lot easier.
- For enterprises that opt for an IAM or CIAM option to implement SSO, they get a chance to have self-service functions like password resets or verification of access on new devices without the intervention of an IT admin.
Easier Compliance and Access Oversight
Centralized enterprise authentication makes it easier to track and review login activities. This supports security audits and keeps access policies consistent across all business applications.
For SaaS companies, supporting SSO helps simplify account access for enterprise customers, making products more appealing in competitive markets.
How Enterprise SSO Works
Enterprise SSO solutions operate using authentication protocols such as SAML, OAuth, and OIDC. Here’s a simplified breakdown of the process:
- Login Attempt: A user attempts to access an application.
- Authentication Request: The request is sent to the Identity Provider (IdP) for verification.
- Token Generation: Upon successful authentication, the IdP issues a secure token (SAML assertion, OAuth access token, or OIDC access token).
- Access Approval: The application verifies the token and grants entry.
Best Practices for a Successful Enterprise SSO Integration
Although overstated, best practices need to be followed closely. At the end of the day, they prevent major losses and any unwanted issues from arising later. Some of these best practices include.
Choosing the Right Authentication Protocol
Different authentication methods suit different use cases. SAML works well for web-based applications, OAuth is useful for API-based access, and OIDC adds an identity layer on top of OAuth.
- Each type of authentication protocol comes with its own risks, like SAML is vulnerable to replay attacks, while OAuth is vulnerable to token leakage - pairing SSO and MFA for better security is how you circumnavigate this.
- Another aspect to keep in mind is whether they support secure cross-platform access and meet with compliance guidelines like NIST or GDPR.
Using Adaptive MFA
Pairing enterprise single-sign-on with Adaptive MFA strengthens security by adjusting authentication requirements based on factors such as device type, location, and user behavior.
- By using adaptive MFA, you reduce the attack surface area and put additional authentication in place only when granting access that may seem risky based on a new device or location.
- You remove the risks of things like credential stuffing and phishing attacks through access through multiple layers of authentication that vary based on risk or circumstance.
- In doing this, however, you need to keep in mind usability issues.
Applying Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Role based access control can be a total lifesaver in terms of limiting access to only users that need it, and it also allows scalability when granting access. Assigning permissions based on job roles helps restrict unnecessary access and reduces security risks.
- An alternative RBAC would be attribute-based access control (ABAC) which allows you to grant and remove access based on specific attributes like location, department, DOJ or even email IDs.
- Another alternative would be Policy-based access control (PBAC) that does this based on policies you create.
- In adding RBAC, you need to make sure that you follow the principle of least privilege or PAM so that only specific users have privileged access.
- Aside from this, make sure that the access management tool used has an auditable record of changes and who accessed which data when.
Monitoring Authentication Logs
Regularly reviewing enterprise authentication logs helps identify unusual login attempts and potential security threats in your enterprise sso solution.
- This can help you have threat detection protocols in place that spot risks like brute force attack attempts, anomalous login patterns, and unauthorized access attempts.
- Monitoring also allows companies to take quick actions based on compromised credentials or potential insider threats.
Maintaining Service Reliability
Since enterprise SSO solutions serve as a central authentication point, selecting a provider with strong uptime records and backup authentication options is essential to avoid disruptions.
- One major risk that comes with an enterprise SSO system is that it creates a single point of failure, which comes with the risk of downtime. To deal with this, make sure that your access system has failover systems and backup authentication methods just in case.
- It's also important for admins and security professionals to protect authentication endpoints from DDoS attacks for consistent uptime.
How Infisign Supports SSO for SaaS Applications
Infisign simplifies enterprise authentication across SaaS applications, using enterprise SSO and passwordless authentication for users while strengthening security controls.
- With support for SAML, OAuth, and OIDC, Infisign works across different authentication environments.
- With over 6000+ API + SDK integrations, it is an SSO solution that will centralize access for your full tech stack. Moreover, it also comes with AI-Access assist to help you speed up access with review mechanisms and better Non-Human Authentication (NHA) management.
- Also, directory synchronization and automated user provisioning reduce administrative workload and costs, helping businesses manage user access efficiently.
Want to see how Infisign can improve authentication for your enterprise? Schedule a demo today!
