Understanding Single Sign-On

You may have heard the term Single Sign-On (SSO) amongst discussions of cyber security. But what is SSO, and why do we need it?

single sign on
Posted on: June 18th, 2020 onPlatinum

You may have heard the term Single Sign-On (SSO) amongst discussions of cyber security. But what is SSO, and why do we need it? Keep reading to find out how it can make for a stress-free login experience in your business.

What is Single Sign-On

Single sign-on, or SSO, is a centralised user authentication service. With SSO, a user can utilise one set of login credentials to access multiple accounts or applications. As the user, you only need to remember one username and password, eliminating the hassle and stress of logging in to each account you use.

A good example of SSO that you may be familiar with is when a website allows you to login with your Google or Facebook account as an alternative to creating an email and password.

An independent system manages login credentials. The user gets redirected to the authentication server when they attempt to login, which will validate your credentials and provides access to all the systems the user has access to.

Why use Single Sign-On in your business

There are many advantages to businesses implementing SSO for their business applications:

  • Eliminates password fatigue – users have fewer logins to remember and manage
  • Improve the end-user experience by streamlining the login process – no longer required to re-enter passwords again
  • Reduce downtime when passwords are forgotten
  • Less password resets required – frees up the IT department to focus on other tasks
  • Puts the organisation in control of user access – give employees access to the specific applications and information they require
  • Lessens the chance of phishing – users are interacting with the authentication server
  • Increased security (especially in combination with Multi-Factor Authentication)
  • Far easier to gain access to new internal applications and resources
  • Can be used both on the cloud and for on-premise applications

Single sign-on is an excellent authentication service that benefits both the company and its employees. It can help you save time and reduce security risks.

Find out more about security at onPlatinum.

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