What Is a Federated Login? How Federated Identity Works

Individuals and organizations rely on managing their digital identities for secure and seamless access to various resources. One powerful solution to this challenge is the use of federated login systems. This article aims to provide an in-depth understanding of federated login, how it works, its advantages, disadvantages, and implementation within different scenarios.

What is federated login?

Federated login, also known as federated identity, refers to a system that allows users to access multiple applications across different domains and organizations using a single set of login credentials. This approach significantly simplifies the management of digital identities by reducing the number of usernames and passwords a user must remember.

The central elements within a federated login system are identity providers (IdP) – which manage user credentials – and service providers (SP) – which trust the IdPs to authenticate users. Federated login can be considered an extension of single sign-on (SSO) as it allows seamless authentication across various systems within and across organizations.

How does federated login work?

Federated login works by establishing trust relationships between identity providers and service providers. This trust allows the exchange of user authentication and authorization information between the two parties. The process typically involves the following steps:

1. A user attempts to access an application (SP) that is part of a federated login system.
2. The application redirects the user to the relevant identity provider (IdP) for authentication.
3. The user provides their login credentials to the IdP, who validates and either approves or denies the request.
4. If approved, the IdP generates an authentication token or assertion containing the user’s identity and authorization details.
5. The user is redirected back to the application, which verifies the token from the IdP and grants access to the user based on the authorization information provided.

Examples of federated login

Some common examples of federated login systems include:

• Google and Facebook logins: These popular social media platforms offer the ability to sign in to third-party websites and applications using a user’s existing Google or Facebook account, simplifying the login process and reducing the number of login credentials users must manage.
• Integration of multiple applications within a single organization: Large enterprises and organizations that rely on numerous internal and external applications can implement federated login to streamline access management and improve user experience for their employees.
• Cross-enterprise authentication and authorization: Companies that collaborate or share resources may require their employees to access each other’s applications or systems. Federated login allows for secure and efficient access management between such collaborating enterprises.

Technologies used in federated login

Several standard protocols and technologies support federated login, including:

• Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML): SAML is an XML-based standard that enables communication between IdPs and SPs for exchanging authentication and authorization data. It is widely used in web-based federated login systems.
• Open Authentication (OAuth): OAuth is an open standard that specifies a method for clients to access protected resources on behalf of a resource owner without sharing their credentials. It is commonly used in API-based federated login systems.
• OpenID Connect (OIDC): OIDC is an authentication protocol built on top of OAuth 2.0 that allows third-party applications to verify a user’s identity based on the authentication performed by an IdP.

Is federated login secure?

Federated login systems offer several security benefits, including centralizing the responsibility for managing user credentials to a trusted IdP, reducing the number of passwords users must remember, and minimizing the risk of password reuse. Further, as users only provide their credentials directly to the IdP, the potential for phishing attacks across service providers is reduced.

However, federated login systems also face some security risks and challenges, such as being a single point of failure due to the reliance on a single authentication token. Ensuring the secure implementation of federated login requires using best practices like strong encryption, secure token generation and storage, and regularly auditing and monitoring the system.

Advantages of federated login

Federated login systems offer several advantages, including:

• Enhanced user experience: Users benefit from the convenience of a single set of login credentials, which makes accessing multiple applications easier and reduces the need for password resets and account recovery.
• Simplified access management: For organizations, federated login streamlines the process of managing user access to various applications, as credentials and authorization data are centrally managed by an IdP.
• Cost savings and efficiency gains: Organizations can save costs related to password management, helpdesk support, and account administration by adopting federated login systems.
• Secure resource sharing and data management: Collaboration between different organizations becomes more secure and efficient as trust relationships are established and maintained between IdPs and SPs.

Disadvantages of federated login

Despite its numerous advantages, federated login systems are not without their limitations:

• Complexity and initial setup costs: Implementing federated login can be complex, especially if an organization lacks prior experience with the technology or needs to work with multiple external partners or platforms.
• Single sign-on vulnerability: As the IdP becomes a single point of control for user authentication, it may become a primary target for attackers seeking access to multiple systems.
• Ownership and cooperation issues among multiple organizations: Navigating the trust relationships, responsibilities, and communication between multiple organizations can be a challenging aspect of federated login systems.

Best use cases for federated login

Some of the best use cases for federated login include:

• Enterprise environments with cloud-hosted applications: Companies that have adopted cloud-based applications and services can use federated login for streamlined access management and improved security.
• Collaborative efforts among multiple organizations: Federated login systems are ideal for scenarios where multiple organizations need to share access to resources, such as in joint research, cross-enterprise partnerships, or supply chain management.
• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications with diverse user bases: SaaS providers catering to different organizations can benefit from implementing federated login to offer a simplified and secure login experience to users from various organizations and domains.

Implementing federated login in organizations

Assessing organizational needs and goals: Before implementing federated login, organizations should evaluate their requirements, existing infrastructure, and desired outcomes to determine if federated login is the best solution.

Selecting suitable federated login technologies: Based on the assessment, organizations should research and identify the most appropriate federation protocols, standards, and technologies to use in their federated login system.

Establishing trust relationships with relevant parties: For successful implementation, organizations need to establish and maintain trust relationships with the IdPs and SPs involved in the federated login system.

Implementing and maintaining secure federated login systems: Ensuring the ongoing security and functionality of federated login systems requires best practices in encryption, token management, system monitoring, and regular security audits.

Conclusion

Federated login systems provide a powerful way to streamline and secure access to multiple applications across different domains and organizations. By understanding how federated login works, its advantages and disadvantages, and its best use cases, organizations can make informed decisions on implementing and maintaining federated login systems to enhance user experience and improve access management, while ensuring security and efficiency.