What is SSO?
Single Sign-On (SSO), or single sign-on, enables users to access multiple applications by entering their credentials just once. This solution enhances the user experience while reinforcing access security.
Authentication is a major challenge for companies. In 2024, around 50% of Canadian businesses were victims of a cyber attack. Centralized management such as SSO becomes essential to reduce these risks and reinforce data protection.
How does SSO work?
SSO is based on a centralized identity service that manages user authentication in just a few steps:
- Single sign-on: the user identifies himself only once to an identity service.
- Secure token generation: once authenticated, a token is created containing login information. A token is a digital file that proves your identity. It acts like an electronic passkey, allowing you to access applications without having to re-enter your password.
- Token transmission and validation: when an application is requested, the token is transmitted and verified.
- Secure access: if the token is valid, the user can access resources without having to re-enter his or her login and password.
This approach reduces the number of logins and makes access management easier for IT teams.
The importance of conditional access
SSO is effective, but even more robust when combined with conditional access policies. This approach enhances safety by imposing restrictions based on specific criteria:
- Location: access restricted or subject to verification depending on geographical location.
- Timetable: connection permitted during office hours only.
- Type of device: refusal of access to devices that do not comply with safety standards.
- Validity period (token persistence): token expiration determines when a user must re-authenticate. If a token is valid for 6 months, this poses a risk, because in the event of compromise, access would remain open for too long. We propose to limit token validity to 16 hours, requiring users to reconnect at the start of each day to reinforce security.
By integrating conditional access, companies can add an extra level of protection, without unnecessarily complicating the user experience.
Safety and best practices
While SSO makes login easier, it relies on a master password. A compromised password could provide unlimited access to the user’s applications. That’s why it’s essential to adopt multi-factor authentication(MFA) as a complement. Additional validation (temporary code, fingerprint) helps limit risks.
Single sign-on simplifies access management and reduces password risks. By integrating MFA and conditional access, companies ensure an optimum balance between accessibility and safety. Less hassle for users, efficient management for IT teams and greater protection against cyberthreats.
At My Technician, we help companies implement secure solutions such as SSO and multi-factor authentication. Our IT experts help you adopt best practices to secure your access while guaranteeing a seamless experience for your employees.
Thought for the day: “SSO is great for opening everything at once… but it’s also the IT version of ‘all or nothing’!”