SSO: What is it and what are the benefits for cybersecurity?
Single sign-on (SSO) is a tool that simplifies the authentication process by allowing users to log in and access various digital applications and services using a single set of credentials.
This authentication solution works through a central service that authenticates users once and then provides an authentication token for the applications they wish to use. This token enables applications to verify user identity without users having to re-enter their credentials.
4 main benefits of implementing SSO in your business
First, you should bear in mind that if you don't use an SSO tool, each website or application has its own database of user credentials. This can be problematic for your organization, as you will have to store and manage a host of different credentials for each application you use. This complicated process can lead to security issues, high management costs and inefficiencies. In contrast, deploying SSO authentication technology delivers advantages such as:
1- Increased employee and IT productivity:
Allowing access to multiple applications with a single password removes the need for users to remember and manage multiple passwords, saving time and effort. It also reduces the need for password assistance and provides quick and easy access to all applications.
2- Cost savings:
According to data from Forrester Research, each employee password reset costs your business $70. Similarly, Gartner analysts point out that 40% of calls made to the helpdesk are related to passwords and resets. An SSO solution can help reduce some of these costs.
3- Lower password fatigue and stronger security:
Creating unique passwords for each account is an important security measure, but it can be difficult to implement. Users have to remember complex and different passwords for each account, which can lead to forgetfulness, password reuse, and other vulnerabilities. In fact, 44% of users say they seldom bother to reset their passwords and 32% reuse the same password on between 5 and 10 websites and applications. One of the main advantages of SSO is that it helps reduce password fatigue and improve the user experience. It also strengthens security by reducing the risk of users sharing or reusing their passwords.
4- Improved regulatory compliance posture:
SSO can help you comply with security regulatory requirements, such as GDPR, HIPAA and PCI DSS, by providing effective access controls, such as MFA, access auditing and automatic sign-off. These controls help you protect sensitive data and comply with regulatory requirements.
How to choose the right solution for your organization?
Implementing SSO helps reduce security risks and create a seamless user experience that facilitates compliance with your organization’s security processes. However, for your SSO strategy to be successful, it is important to choose the right solution to meet your specific needs. We recommend the following checklist to help you find the right solution for your business:
- Assess the level of security the solution provides.
- Assess ease of use.
- Ensure it is compatible with existing systems and applications to minimize disruption.
- Check solution scalability.
- Analyze the level of employee training it requires.
If you want to find out more about SSO and the role it plays in user authentication experience, do not hesitate to request your AuthPoint Total Identity Security trial: https://www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/authpoint-trial
