Single Sign-On (SSO) [GO1] is an authentication model in which a user logs in once with a set of credentials to gain access to multiple applications. It forms a key part of many identity and access management (IAM) systems. Rather than needing a specific username and password for each login, SSO offers single-click access to all authorized tools securely and without redundancy.
For example, take the case of a user logging into a corporate session at the beginning of work hours. As soon as they are authenticated, they can open their email, navigate to a document in cloud storage, look at updates of a project management tool, or look at CRM records without logging in again.
Web SSO is the most common type used in cloud-based enterprise applications, where access to multiple web apps is granted via a single authentication event. Web SSO is the primary focus of this page; however, we will also briefly explore other types of SSO.
Web SSO (as with any other type of SSO) is possible in the back end because of a federated identity system. A central Identity Provider (IdP) authenticates the user and passes authentication tokens to multiple Service Providers (SPs), such as Salesforce or Slack. These tokens are acceptable proof of identity. Norms such as SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) and OpenID Connect (OIDC) govern how this data is securely passed on.
By contrast, the legacy approach (in which each service has its own login) forces users to register and recall a distinct set of login credentials for each application. This usually leads to password fatigue, increased reset requests, and increased risk of credential reuse. From a security standpoint, each additional login represents a potential attack vector.
Today’s landscape demands better. The shift to cloud-first, remote-enabled work has increased the number of systems employees use daily. Today, SSO goes beyond convenient; it’s becoming essential.
Other Types of SSO
While Web SSO is the most common, SSO can also take other forms depending on the use case:
Social Login SSO: Users authenticate using credentials from social platforms to access third-party applications.
- Enterprise Network SSO: Authenticates users into multiple on-premises systems automatically when they log into their work device, often integrated with Active Directory.
- Mobile SSO: Allows seamless access to multiple mobile apps without requiring separate logins per app, leveraging mobile identity and device-level authentication.
- Federated SSO: Enables users from different organizations or domains to authenticate using their home credentials, such as in partner ecosystems or education institutions.
While these variations differ in scope, they share the same core objective: reducing the number of authentications required across trusted systems while maintaining a strong security posture.
Why Web SSO is Important
The Challenges Driving Adoption
The rise of Web SSO is essentially a response to a changing workplace environment:
Sprawling Application Ecosystems
Modern businesses rely on a vast and varied set of digital tools. From CRMs like Salesforce to collaboration platforms like Slack, productivity suites like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, and numerous other specialized applications, employees interact with dozens of systems each day. Without SSO, each system requires its own login, forcing users to constantly re-authenticate, which is an inefficient and frustrating experience.
Password Overload
This fragmented approach leads to password fatigue. Users are expected to remember unique credentials for every service, which often results in risky behaviors such as reusing passwords, writing them down, or saving them insecurely. Industry research shows that over 50% of users admit to reusing passwords across systems, increasing the risk of compromise.
Security Risks
Each login endpoint is a potential vulnerability. More credentials mean more opportunities for phishing, brute-force attacks, and credential stuffing. Inconsistent access experiences and user frustrations only compound these risks by encouraging unsafe workarounds.
IT Support Burden
Helpdesks are inundated with password resets, which remain one of the most common and costly support issues. These tickets take time to resolve, drain IT resources, and slow down business operations.
Shadow and IT Workarounds
When access is cumbersome, users take shortcuts. They might turn to unauthorized apps, store credentials in insecure places, or share them informally with colleagues. These behaviors introduce compliance issues, weaken monitoring capabilities, and create backdoors for attackers.
Core Benefits of Web SSO
By solving these challenges, SSO delivers value across the organization:
Improved User Experience: Employees can access what they need faster without interruption. A single login at the beginning of their day is all it takes.
Stronger Security Posture: Fewer credentials translate to fewer points of failure. SSO helps security teams enforce policies from a central point and adds layered controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Increased Productivity: Less time spent managing credentials means more time can be dedicated to high-value work and objectives.
Simplified IT Operations: Access management from a central location limits the number of support tickets, streamlines onboarding and offboarding, and helps entities with audit readiness.
Reduced Attack Surface: When authentication is consolidated through a trusted IdP, entities can quickly and effectively monitor and respond to threats.
How Web SSO Works
At a high level, SSO operates via a trusted relationship between the Identity Provider and the Service Providers that a user needs to access. This is what the process usually looks like:
User Authentication: The user signs in only once to the Identity Provider using the corporate credentials they have been provided.
Token Issuance: Once successful authentication has happened, the Identity Provider issues a security token or assertion.
Access Request: Should the user attempt to access a Service Provider (this could be a CRM tool or even the intranet), the SP redirects the request to the Identity Provider to be verified.
Token Validation: The Identity Provider then confirms the user's identity using the token and grants them access.
Session Continuity: During the login period, the user maintains their authenticated session across all protected applications they are using.
In hybrid environments, SSO connects both cloud and on-prem systems. For example, Active Directory or LDAP might authenticate users for on-premises applications, while federated protocols like SAML or OIDC handle cloud services. This allows employees to sign in once and access everything from legacy intranet apps to cloud-based CRMs without needed to log in again.
Key Components Involved
A host of technologies work together to facilitate secure and seamless SSO experiences:
Protocols: Standards like SAML, OIDC, and OAuth ensure safe and secure communication between identity and service providers.
Identity Providers (IdP): These are centralized authentication services that verify credentials and manage session tokens.
Service Providers (SP): These are the applications or platforms the user needs to access to perform various functions. They trust the IdP for authentication.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Typically implemented in addition to SSO, MFA provides an extra measure of security to the authentication procedure by requiring another (or even third) factor of verification, such as a token or biometric.
Directory Services: Applications such as Active Directory or LDAP store user attributes and roles that determine access permissions.
Together, these components offer a safe haven that allows entities to integrate authentication, improve visibility, and protect critical systems without diminishing usability.
Industry Spotlight: BFSI
Why SSO Matters in Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance
Few sectors face as much pressure as BFSI in terms of securing access. These entities are responsible for extremely sensitive financial and personal data. They also have to ensure business under the strictest level of regulatory oversight and are prime targets for cyber-attacks given the value of the information they hold. At the same time, they have to provide employees, customers, and partners with always-on access.
SSO addresses all but a few of the BFSI sector's pain points:
- Security Expectations: Customers expect secure digital experiences. Consumer trust is at an all-time low, and a single compromised login can cause massive damage to trust and brand reputation.
- Operational Efficiency: With large and distributed workforces, secure and frictionless access is essential to daily business continuity.
- Hybrid Infrastructure: Many BFSI firms have not gone all-in on cloud. They are staying hybrid for practical, regulatory, and operational reasons. They want to modernize, but not rip and replace, and want agility, but not at the expense of security. Here, SSO enables access across legacy, cloud, and hybrid without creating silos. [GO2]
- Regulatory Compliance: PCI DSS, GDPR, and NIS2 standards require strong identity and access controls. SSO makes it easy to deliver the fine-grained audit trails and policy compliance demanded by these standards.
Market Trends
According to industry reports[GO3] , BFSI is among the top sectors that are investing in SSO and federated identity. These organizations are moving aggressively to reduce the attack surface, support mobile and remote work, and meet evolving compliance demands.
What to Look for in an SSO Solution
While the concept of SSO is simple, execution can vary. Choosing the right solution requires a balance between security, usability, and long-term flexibility. The best SSO systems are built around a few guiding principles:
- Security Without Trade-Offs: SSO services must support MFA, passwordless authentication, and context-aware policies. While users should be trusted, they must be verified based on risk factors such as their location, device, and behavior.
- Seamless User Experience: Authentication must be as seamless as possible. Users must be able to switch between systems seamlessly, without the inconvenience of constant interruptions or disorienting redirects.
- Standards-Based and Interoperable: Look for industry-standard support like SAML and OIDC[GO4] , along with cloud, hybrid, and on-premises integration.
- Scalability: It should grow with your business[GO5] , supporting large numbers of users, world offices, and an IT infrastructure that becomes more complex daily.
- Resilience: During disruptions or outages, an SSO platform should offer business continuity and uninterrupted user access to mission-critical systems.
Avoid solutions that lock you into proprietary ecosystems or introduce complexity with rigid architectures. A well-designed SSO approach streamlines and simplifies access, enhancing visibility and control, and supporting security, compliance, and agility.
The Need for Security and Visibility
In today's high-speed, application-loaded business world, having the ability to access everything you require with a single secure login is no longer a luxury but a requirement.
Single Sign-On (SSO) answers the desire for security and convenience. It gives employees instant, transparent access to the applications they need. It helps security teams enforce the proper controls without tying people down. And it makes a single layer of access available to the enterprise.
SSO supports the balance between secure access and operational resilience for high-risk sectors like banking, financial services, and insurance, where regulatory controls are stringent.
SSO doesn’t just reduce logins. It reduces risk. It improves experience and frees IT teams from credential chaos and gives them room to focus on strategic security priorities. It’s not only about being able to sign-on once, but about getting security and productivity to work in sync.