Establish core understanding of how SSO works. Topics: What is SSO and why it matters Key terms: IdP, SP, authentication vs. authorization Session management and token-based access Benefits and risks of SSO

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Single Sign-On, or SSO, is an authentication scheme that allows users to access multiple applications with just one set of login credentials. Instead of remembering different usernames and passwords for each application, users log in once and gain access to all connected systems. This significantly improves user experience, enhances security by reducing password fatigue, and simplifies IT management across organizations. In SSO systems, there are three key terms to understand. First, the Identity Provider or IdP is the system that authenticates users, such as Okta or Azure Active Directory. Second, Service Providers or SPs are the applications users want to access, like Salesforce or Slack. Finally, it's important to distinguish between authentication and authorization. Authentication answers "who are you?" and is handled by the IdP, while authorization answers "what can you do?" and is managed by each individual service provider after successful authentication. The SSO authentication flow follows a specific sequence. First, a user attempts to access a service provider. The SP redirects the user to the identity provider for authentication. The IdP authenticates the user and creates a secure token containing user information. This token is sent back to the SP, which validates it and establishes a session for the user. Once authenticated with the IdP, the user can access other connected applications without re-entering credentials, as the IdP recognizes the existing session and issues new tokens as needed. SSO provides significant benefits across three key areas. First, it enhances user experience by eliminating the need to remember multiple passwords and reducing login friction. Second, it improves security through centralized access control, stronger password policies, and easier implementation of multi-factor authentication. Third, it reduces IT costs by minimizing password reset requests and simplifying user account management. These benefits make SSO an attractive solution for organizations looking to balance security, usability, and operational efficiency. While SSO offers many benefits, it also introduces important risks that organizations must consider. The primary concern is the single point of failure - if the identity provider goes down, users lose access to all connected applications. Additionally, a security breach of the IdP could compromise all integrated systems simultaneously. Implementation can also be complex, requiring careful planning and integration work. However, these risks can be mitigated through redundant systems, continuous monitoring, backup authentication methods, and robust security practices around the identity provider infrastructure.