Security

Thinking Through Single Sign-On Features

Single sign-on solutions can deliver many benefits to your organization, including less time and money spent resetting forgotten passwords, but there are many features of SSO to consider.

Steve Zurier

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Steve Zurier is a freelance technology writer based in Columbia, Md.

If you’re thinking about implementing SSO in your organization, here are features to consider.

1. Ease of Use. Check that the product is easy to use and comes with built-in reporting for security and compliance auditing. To avoid any drag on performance, test-drive prospective tools in your real-world environment.

2. Automated Self-Service. Make sure the product has a self-serve feature. Even with consolidation to single passwords, users will forget once in a while, and they will need to reset them for security purposes too. With a self-service app, the help desk dramatically reduces calls for both these needs.

3. Strong Authentication. Ask about authentication features. Consolidating to one password makes economic sense and it’s more efficient, but companies may want a product with two-factor authentication to further strengthen access controls.

4. User Behavior Analytics. Find out what analytics capabilities come with each product. The IT team can use built-in analytics tools to identify irregularities and potentially thwart unknown threats.

For more on the benefits of using single sign-on, check out, "Accessing the Security and Financial Advantages of Single Sign-On."