---
title: "Single Sign‑On (SSO)"
id: "31783"
type: "glossary"
slug: "single-sign-on-sso"
published_at: "2026-06-05T12:40:33+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-06-08T13:13:15+00:00"
url: "https://www.kitecyber.com/glossary/single-sign-on-sso/"
markdown_url: "https://www.kitecyber.com/glossary/single-sign-on-sso.md"
excerpt: "Single Sign‑On (SSO) Home / Glossary Index / Alphabet S What is Single Sign‑On (SSO)? Single Sign‑On (SSO) is an authentication method […]"
---

# Single Sign‑On (SSO)

[Home](https://www.kitecyber.com/)
 / [Glossary Index](https://www.kitecyber.com/glossary/endpoint-security-terms/)
 / Alphabet S

## What is Single Sign‑On (SSO)?

**[Single Sign‑On (SSO)](https://www.kitecyber.com/glossary/single-sign-on-sso/)** is an authentication method that allows users to log in once with a single set of credentials and gain secure access to multiple applications and services without re‑authenticating.

## How SSO Works

SSO relies on a trust relationship between three components:

- **Identity Provider (IdP):** The service that authenticates users (e.g., Okta, Azure AD, Google Identity).
- **Service Providers (SPs):**The applications users want to access (e.g., Salesforce, Zoom, Slack).
- **Authentication protocols:** Standards like SAML, OAuth, and OpenID Connect that enable secure communication.

## Security Benefits of SSO

- **Fewer passwords:** Users manage a single strong password instead of 30+ weak, reused ones.
- **Reduced attack surface:** Fewer credentials mean fewer opportunities for credential harvesting.
- **Centralized access revocation:** Disabling one account in the IdP blocks access to all linked applications instantly.
- **Simplified MFA deployment:** Configure MFA once at the IdP level, protecting all down-stream applications.

## The Concentration Risk Problem

SSO creates a single point of failure. If an attacker compromises a user’s SSO credentials, they gain access to every application that user can reach.**Therefore, pairing SSO with Multi‑Factor Authentication (MFA) is mandatory.**

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