What is SAML?

Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) is a form of identity and access management (IAM) that securely validates user credentials and supports single sign-on (SSO) across multiple applications and services. SAML enables users to access multiple web applications with a single set of credentials while ensuring that their identity is securely validated each time they log in. It also provides organizations with the capability to authorize and authenticate users without requiring the user to remember additional usernames and passwords for each service.

Benefits of SAML

There are many benefits to using SAML for authentication and authorization. SAML provides a more secure and efficient alternative to traditional username and password authentication by allowing organizations to securely validate user credentials in a single unified platform. Additionally, utilizing SAML saves organizations time and money by reducing the need to create, manage and distribute separate authentication systems for each application or service. It also helps eliminate the user’s need to remember multiple usernames and passwords for each service.

How does SAML Work?

SAML works by designating an identity provider (IdP) to validate every user’s credentials, and then use the validated credentials to provide secure access to multiple web applications and services. The Identity Provider stores a user’s credentials and then shares them with the service provider (SP) using special encryption keys that only they can access. The service provider then uses the validated user credentials to grant the user access to their services.

In summary, SAML is a secure and efficient form of identity and access management (IAM) that enables organizations to authorize and authenticate users in a single unified platform. It helps reduce the risk of identity theft and fraud by eliminating the need to manage multiple authentication systems. Additionally, it enables organizations to securely validate user credentials and grant users access to multiple services without requiring the user to remember separate usernames and passwords for each service.