It goes without saying that passwords are a problem. Though they remain the most common way to connect to an account or resource, they cause a lot of trouble. Employees have too many passwords to remember. Poor password hygiene is rampant and exposes businesses to attacks. IT lacks oversight of password security across the business. Passwords cost time and money, cause untold frustration, and generally are an inefficient, insecure way to connect people to the systems and apps they need to use.
What’s a business to do? That’s where Single Sign-On can help.
What is Single Sign-On?
Single Sign-On (SSO) connects users to apps and systems without the need to create and remember passwords. Instead, a user only has one password to remember: the password to access their SSO portal. An admin simply configures any given app or service from the admin dashboard, which establishes a trusted relationship between the SSO solution and the third-party site using a secure protocol like SAML 2.0. Then the admin can assign apps to the right users, so that it appears in their SSO portal. After that, the user simply launches any saved apps out of their SSO portal, and they are connected behind-the-scenes.
Benefits of Single Sign-On
There are many benefits of using an SSO solution, including:
- Only one password for employees to remember
- Eliminates many passwords in use, which in turn eliminates risky password practices
- Increased IT oversight of and visibility into apps and services in use
- Better company-wide security with policies to control access
- Easy setup for IT teams, with a catalog of pre-configured apps
- Simplified onboarding and offboarding, with user directory integrations
In summary, an SSO solution not only makes day-to-day management of employee access easier for IT admins while improving overall organizational security, it also simplifies an employee’s daily workflow, saving them time and helping them work more efficiently.
Finding the Right Single Sign-On Solution
Many SSO solutions appear similar on the surface, but when you start to investigate the details there can be significant differences. A few key questions to ask as you evaluate and trial SSO solutions include:
- How many apps are supported out-of-the-box in the app catalog?
- Which integrations are available, including the user directories that can be leveraged for provisioning and deprovisioning?
- Is Single Sign-On paired with Enterprise Password Management for complete coverage of all logins?
Want to learn more? Download a copy of our Buyer’s Guide, which provides in-depth information about what to look for in an access solution and how to maximize your trial.
