MY ONE BLOGby Manishdai
Cybersecurity

What is Single Sign-On?

Quick answer

An authentication method, known as SSO, that lets people log in once and access many applications without signing in to each separately.

Single Sign-On, explained

With single sign-on, a central identity provider verifies who the user is, then vouches for them to other applications using standards such as SAML or OpenID Connect. Users have one set of credentials to protect, and IT teams can control access to many tools from one place.

For example, an employee at a marketing agency signs in to the company identity provider each morning with a password and multi-factor authentication, then opens email, the project management tool, and the design software without further logins. When the employee leaves, disabling one account removes access everywhere. SSO improves both convenience and security, but it makes the identity provider a high-value target, so strong multi-factor authentication and careful monitoring of that account are essential.

Related terms

Identity and Access Management

The policies and tools, known as IAM, that control who can access which systems and data, and what they are allowed to do.

Multi-Factor Authentication

A login method that requires two or more different types of proof of identity, such as a password plus a code from your phone.

OAuth

An open standard that lets users grant an app limited access to their data on another service without sharing their password.

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