User Authentication (Single Sign-On) Integration

Overview

PerfectServe supports multiple ways for organizations to integrate their own identity provider (IdP) to streamline access management, enhance security, and improve user satisfaction.

Practical Benefits

More Convenient Access Experience:
Single sign-on (SSO) simplifies the login process for users by allowing them to access multiple applications with just one set of credentials. This eliminates the hassle of managing multiple usernames and passwords, providing users with a smoother and more convenient access experience.

Enhances Security:
SSO enhances security by enforcing stronger authentication methods, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), which adds an extra layer of protection beyond passwords. Additionally, since users have fewer passwords to manage, they are less likely to resort to insecure practices (e.g., using the same password across multiple accounts).

Reduces Support Team Demand:
With SSO, users spend less time dealing with login issues and password resets, allowing them to focus more on their tasks and increasing overall productivity. Additionally, this allows support teams to focus on higher-tier issues by reducing password-related support requests.

Integration Protocols

SSO protocols are mechanisms that enable users to authenticate once and gain access to multiple applications or services without the need to re-enter credentials. There are several types of SSO protocols commonly used in various environments:

1. OAuth 2.0 is an authorization framework that enables third-party applications to access resources on behalf of a user without requiring the user’s credentials to be shared with the application. It’s widely used for delegated access scenarios, where users grant permissions to third-party applications to access their resources. Supported identity providers using OAuth 2.0 include Azure Entra, Okta, Ping, and more.

2. SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) is an XML-based standard for enabling SSO between identity providers and service providers. Users authenticate once with an identity provider, which generates a secure assertion containing identity and authorization data. This assertion is then passed to service providers, allowing users to access resources without repeated authentication. SAML offers strong security features and is widely used for seamless SSO experiences in enterprise environments. Supported identity providers using SAML include Azure Entra, Ping, and more.

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