A separate login for each system: antiquated and needlessly complex
Many organizations work with a variety of (external) systems simultaneously. You log in to system A, while you look for the data you need in system B. Then you’re supposed to use system C to send it all to the right person. Sounds efficient, doesn't it? And to top it all off, there is a different login for each system. But you’ve got time, right?
Single sign-on: what is that?
Single sign-on is the solution to your silent suffering. More specifically, single sign-on is a system that you log in to just once to access all the different external systems you work with. With SSO software, you enter your password once to gain direct and secure access to all of your systems.
The benefits of SSO
OK, we’re going to put together all the benefits of single sign-on for you (because who doesn’t like lists?):
- One login
With single sign-on, you only need to enter your password once to work in multiple external systems. That means no more logging in again and again. - A single password for all your systems
The perfect solution for the forgetful and scatterbrained - you only need to remember one password. Did you forget that one, too? Then you’ll only need to request one new password. - User-friendly
No more having to repeatedly log in everywhere. No more figuring out which password goes with which system. SSO allows you to work quickly and efficiently.
How does single sign-on work?
All roads lead to Rome. And the same goes for SSO. Basically, it always works in roughly the same way. The user opens the desired application and a login screen automatically appears. Was the user already logged in through another application? If so, then it’s all taken care of and the user is given instant access to the application. The user only needs to log in to the first application that is opened that day. After that, throughout the day, all the external systems that are connected to the SSO module will be accessible without having to log in again.
One password: asking for trouble?
Not everyone likes the idea of all systems being secured with the same password. If the password falls into the wrong hands, then that person will have access to all the systems, not just one. But is that a reason not to implement SSO?
We don’t think so. And yes, we can back up that opinion with strong arguments.
- The admin role
As the admin, you can set a requirement for a strong password. Don’t settle for passwords like ‘test123’ or ‘John1’. Force users to create strong passwords by requiring a minimum number of letters, use of capital letters, numbers, or special characters. - Limited opportunity for shoulder surfing
With SSO, you don't log in to different systems multiple times a day from various locations. That means the risk of someone catching a glimpse of your password in one way or another is quite low. - Only one password is needed for protection
If your password has been stolen (or you suspect that it has been), you’ll only need to change one password to secure all of your systems. - Multiple passwords can also cause problems
Having a different password for each system may sound fairly secure, but you also need to remember all of those passwords. What often happens is that people just end up using the same (or virtually the same) password for all of their systems. In terms of security, this isn’t exactly an improvement. Or worse, they write all the different passwords down to be able to keep track. What if the note falls into the wrong hands?
Additional security features for your SSO module
Still not entirely convinced of its security? An array of options is available to make it even more secure to log in to different applications with a single login. The SSO module is linked to its own authentication system from the organization. If that system uses multi-factor authentication, it will already have an additional built-in security check, for instance. And for the techies among us, SAML 2.0 or OAuth 2.0 technologies can be used for SSO.
The SSO module from SmartDocuments
Although we here at SmartDocuments are anything but lazy, logging in to systems multiple times a day drives us absolutely bonkers. That's why we developed the SSO module for our clients. This way, you only have to log in once when working with our document creation software. So, you can work a bit faster and have some time left for a cup of coffee! Or to get some more work done, of course.
In short, we say do it! The SSO module makes your work life that much easier. Want to learn more about the SmartDocuments SSO module? Then please contact us or request a demo!
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