Microsoft Entra Single Sign-On (SSO): Complete Overview

In today’s digital age, finding the right balance in cybersecurity is crucial. Paradoxically, the pressure to implement stronger security measures can encourage users to adopt weaker digital habits, such as reusing and simplifying passwords. Single Sign-On (SSO) can solve these problems by eliminating the need for multiple logins. Microsoft Entra offers a range of applications that you can use with SSO. This article provides an introduction on setting up Microsoft Entra with Single Sign-On.

What is Single Sign-On? How does it work?

Single Sign-On is an authentication framework that enables users to securely access multiple software applications with a single set of login credentials. It works on the basis of a relationship of trust between two parties:

• Identity Provider (IdP) – SSO system (Microsoft Entra ID)
• Service Provider (SP) – Application/website to be accessed.

The login flow is as follows:

1. The user is trying to access an application that supports SSO (SP).
2. The application redirects the user to Microsoft Entra (IdP).
3. Entra verifies the identity of the user. This may include a username/password system or multifactor authentication.
4. After successful authentication, Entra ID sends a token back to the service provider.
5. Upon receipt, the SP validates this token according to a preconfigured trust relationship.
6. If the token is valid, the user gets permission.

Why use Microsoft Entra’s SSO?

• Security: Entra leverages Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) along with SSO. This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access.
• Efficiency: Eliminating repetitive logins increases productivity and reduces password fatigue. SSO also reduces the time spent helping users with forgotten passwords.
• Centralized authentication: Entra ID acts as a single point of control for identity management of users. This facilitates the enforcement of stronger password policies and security measures across all connected platforms.
• Flexibility: Entra SSO supports protocols such as SAML and OpenID Connect, enabling integration with a wide range of applications.

SSO options

Microsoft Entra offers three approaches to SSO. The choice of SSO depends on the application configuration, your security requirements and your user base.

• Federation: Federated SSO lets multiple IdPs work together using standardized protocols such as SAML or OpenID. As long as the IdPs and applications are federated, users from multiple organizations can use their own IdP login credentials to access the applications. Federated SSO is considered the most robust SSO mode because of its flexibility.
• Password-based: During the initial login, user credentials are captured on a dedicated Entra ID login page and validated against a directory service (such as Active Directory). Unlike traditional logins, Entra ID stores this data securely within its system. Subsequent logins generate a temporary security token that allows the application to verify the user’s identity without requiring the actual username and password. Although password-based SSO is user-friendly, it introduces a single point of failure that can be a potential security problem. Implementing MFA helps reduce this risk.
• Linked: Linked SSO uses existing login credentials from a linked service (often Azure AD) to authenticate specific applications. While easier to set up than federated SSO, it is limited in scope because it only works for applications that can use Azure AD data.

Conclusion

Microsoft Entra Single Sign-On (SSO) provides a powerful solution for organizations seeking improved security and efficiency in their digital access management. By simplifying the login process and strengthening security measures, Entra SSO helps efficiently manage user identities across platforms and applications.

Need help implementing SSO for your applications? ALTA-ICT’s team is ready to support you every step of the way, from initial setup to optimizing your security strategy. Contact ALTA-ICT for professional assistance and ensure that your organization gets the maximum benefit from Microsoft Entra SSO.