What is single sign-on? Tips for using SSO solutions twice as well

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Even in the early 2000s, it was common to turn on the computer and log in to various programs when I went to work. Email, messenger, project management tools, CRM, and collaboration tools all required setting different passwords and IDs and logging in separately. It was difficult to remember a new password every time, so I often went to a notepad to save account information. Even though I was concerned about security issues, I couldn't help it because the login process often wasted time.

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What if today is still the same as it was in the early 2000s? Imagine having to memorize account information for every SaaS and log in one by one when using more SaaS. Isn't that really horrible? 😱 The technology that prevents this terrible situation is 'SSO (Single Sign On) '. Thanks to the SSO method, we can connect to all systems with a single login information. If you go to work, turn on your computer, and log in just one time, you don't need to log in to multiple programs such as email, messenger, and project management tools separately.

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In this article, we'll take a closer look at the benefits of SSO (single sign-on), which has revolutionized work, and discuss tips for IT teams to make more than twice as good use of SSO solutions.

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What is SSO (Single Sign On)?

It was in the early 2000s that single sign-on (SSO) solutions began to be introduced in earnest in Korea. At that time, as IT infrastructure became increasingly complex and the use of work via the Internet increased, companies began to look for alternatives to solve the cumbersome and security problems of the login process. In particular, SSO adoption has expanded around organizations with high security sensitivity such as finance, public institutions, and large enterprises.

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As mentioned in the introduction, SSO (Single Sign On) is an integrated authentication system that allows access to multiple applications and systems with a single authentication process. This allows users to avoid the hassle of repeatedly entering their ID and password each time they log in to multiple systems.

SSO works by generating an authentication token and storing it in the user's browser or SSO provider's server, and this token acts as a password. In addition, built-in security features detect and block malicious login attempts to ensure a secure connection. SSO goes beyond simply password management and adds a layer of security to an organization's login process. In other words, as the number of SaaS organizations use has increased, implementing SSO to protect the company's sensitive data has become an essential element.

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Now let's take a closer look at the key features and benefits of SSO.

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Key single sign-on (SSO) features and benefits

The key features and benefits of SSO focus on ease of use and enhanced security, and greatly help improve IT management efficiency.

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1. Integrated login

SSO solutions allow users to automatically access other applications by sharing authentication information once they sign in. For example, if you log in to your company email, you can access project management tools or CRM systems without additional authentication. The login process is shortened when starting work, and the hassle of having to log in multiple times every day is reduced.

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2. User convenience

As it becomes easier for employees to log in to various software and apps they frequently use, work efficiency increases, and inconvenience or work delays caused by login issues are reduced. For example, time spent on IT support requests due to password resets or frequent authentication failures is reduced.

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3. Enhanced security

Security risks caused by password reuse or simplified passwords are reduced. SSO usually supports strong authentication methods (such as two-step verification, biometric authentication) to keep accounts secure. Since users only need to manage one password, the security risks associated with password reuse are reduced. SSO can monitor login attempts in real time, block abnormal access when detected, or allow administrators to receive notifications, so malicious login attempts can be quickly prevented.

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4. Management efficiency

IT departments can manage users from one central system without having to manage user accounts for each application. It is also useful for security management because it can be quickly applied when leaving the company or when permission changes are needed. Furthermore, you can also gain visibility into SaaS usage. SSO makes SaaS management easier by enabling IT personnel to obtain basic SaaS usage information such as user names, access times, and usage. This is referred to as 'SaaS Discovery'. Next, let's take a look at why SaaS Discovery is important.

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Why is SaaS Discovery important?

First, what is SaaS Discovery? It's literally a function to discover SaaS that is being used without permission with SSO and check who is using what software and what license. According to the 2022 Gartner Report, “Discovery of SaaS app usage and costs” is included among the 7 competencies a SaaS management platform must have. Through SaaS app discovery, it is possible to prevent indiscriminate use of SaaS and suggest new policies or alternatives. To gain visibility into purchased applications, total SaaS spend, license terms, and more, businesses need SaaS app discovery.

Failure to understand all SaaS applications used within an organization can increase costs due to duplicate payments or unnecessary subscriptions. With SaaS app discovery, you can understand what applications are being used and reduce costs by removing unnecessary software. Also, when various departments independently purchase and use multiple SaaS apps, integrated management becomes difficult, but SaaS app discovery can establish a central management system and strengthen governance. SaaS Discovery ultimately helps organizations improve cost efficiency, security, and operational efficiency, and effectively manage IT assets.

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SSO (Single Sign On) and SMP (SaaS Management Platform), a fantastic combination!

By using SSO and SMP together, you can more than double the benefits of an SSO solution. By using both solutions together, SaaS environments can be managed more securely and efficiently.

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1. Enhanced access management: Using SSO and SMP together has significant advantages in improving SaaS application management and security. SSO makes it easy for employees to log in to SaaS, and SMP manages users and access rights for each SaaS. This allows access rights to be centrally controlled and access to all SaaS apps can be managed consistently even when employees leave the company or roles change.

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2. Improve visibility and discovery of SaaS apps: SMP identifies SaaS applications being used within the organization and checks what applications are actually being used. By linking with SSO, it is possible to obtain more clear visibility into application usage status by collecting additional usage information for apps logged in with SSO.

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3. Strengthen security and compliance: SSO enhances security by integrating login and authentication, and SMP helps ensure compliance with security regulations across all SaaS applications.

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4. Reduce costs and optimize licenses: SMP helps reduce costs by tracking SaaS usage and identifying duplicate subscriptions. By checking login data in conjunction with SSO, you can identify which apps are actually used and how often, which is more effective in optimizing licenses.

5. Increase operational efficiency: By integrating SSO and SMP, employees can easily access all the SaaS apps they need, and IT departments can easily manage user accounts and permissions. Operational efficiency can be increased by reducing the workload of IT management departments.

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Use SSO solutions more than twice as well with Megazone POPs

Megazone Pops is an SMP that allows you to manage various SaaS services used in the form of a subscription within an enterprise in one place, and is equipped with a basic SSO function. Using SAML 2.0, OIDC, and OAuth standard methods, employees can log in to all SaaS on Megazone Pops at once. Since a single ID is used to log in from one place, IT managers can grasp overall usage visibility, which is a tool for identifying shadow IT. In the case of SaaS that does not support standard authentication methods, we support the ID/PW storage method (SBA) to enjoy the same effects as SSO.

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Currently, the SSO function of Megazone Pops has been pre-installed and used by more than 2,900 companies, and in the case of a financial company that introduced Megazone Pops, the time was reduced by 50% and the cost by more than 30% by improving the repetitive task of creating and destroying accounts one by one.

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Don't just use SSO as a simple integrated authentication feature. SSO and SMP can be used together to develop strategic direction from a broader perspective. Revolutionize your IT capabilities with Megazone Pops.

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👉Check out the synergy between SSO and SMP with a demo