Benefits
- Reduces phishing issues
- Reducing password issues due to different user name and password combinations
- Reducing time spent re-entering passwords for the same identity
- Can support conventional authentication such as Windows / Linux and Mac credentials
- Reducing IT costs due to lower number of IT help desk calls about passwords
- Security on all levels of entry/exit/access to systems without the inconvenience of re-prompting users
- Centralized reporting for compliance adherence.
Negatives
- Since Single Sign On (SSO) provides access to many resources once the user is authenticated if credentials are lost or stolen impact of scenario increases.
- Single Sign Sign On (SSO) makes the authentication systems highly critical a loss of service can result in denial of access to all systems
- Single Sign On Devices are usually the target of attackers before anything
Types of Single Sign On
- Kerberos ticket granting
- Smart Card
- OTP Token
- Integrated Windows Authentication