Nov 24 2020
What is Single Sign-On?
Single Sign-On (SSO) is the ability for employees to log-in to applications, websites, and data that they have access to, using one set of credentials. It is a method to improve productivity and provide an easy way for end-users to access different corporate tools.
SSO solves key issues for enterprise corporations by ensuring:
- Heightened security and compliance
- Increased productivity and accessibility
- Reduced IT costs
Heightened security and compliance
Phishing, which refers to the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as usernames and passwords, is becoming increasingly prevalent.
While you may intuitively think having one set of login credentials increases the risk for a cyberattack, it’s quite the opposite. Traditionally, people don’t use separate passwords for different accounts. The benefit of having one log-in is that when people only have to remember one set of credentials, they’re more likely to make it a stronger password.
As far as compliance goes, there are various regulations put in place that require corporations have adequate safeguards in place to protect customer data. SSO helps to meet these requirements.
Increased Accessibility and Reduced IT Costs
With no need for multiple login URLs or password resets, employees have unprecedented access to their companies’ application suites. While these tools were always available, it’s never been this easy to switch between tools.
It’s estimated that an employee saves 15 seconds per login. When your team is using 5-10+ applications and are attempting multiple logins per day, the time adds up.
There are a few different ways SSO helps to reduce IT costs. One form of cost-saving comes from a reduction in support calls. Users that only require one set of login credentials are far less likely to require assistance from IT.
Another form is through application management. IT administrators can utilize SSO to monitor what applications their teams are using, allows them to spot and stop identity theft concerns as they arise.
