How SSO authentication offers competitive edge without compromising security – SecurityInfoWatch

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While customers crave seamless authentication experiences across every platform, single sign-on (SSO) has become a game-changer in pleasing users. Regardless of the niche, businesses catering to their customers online have leveraged the true potential of SSO for years to create streamlined user journeys across multiple touchpoints.

However, adding SSO to your platforms was a great decision if we consider it a few years back. Today’s modern dynamic business landscape demands that businesses take a giant leap ahead of incorporating SSO, especially emphasizing security. Today’s customers expect businesses to offer great authentication experiences on multiple platforms and eventually want them to handle their sensitive information securely.

In a nutshell, balancing perfect harmony between user authentication experience and security is undoubtedly the need of the hour for businesses thinking to thrive in business success. Let’s glance at the aspects of incorporating a cutting-edge SSO solution that ensures your business stays ahead of the competition.

What is SSO? How has it Transformed the User Authentication Experience? 

Single sign-on (SSO) is a revolutionary authentication mechanism that allows users to authenticate on multiple inter-connected platforms without re-entering their credentials.

With SSO, users enter their credentials once and can access services across multiple related yet independent systems. This authentication mechanism ensures a great user experience, especially for websites or apps that require users to switch between various applications, requiring frequent authentication.

Undoubtedly, the conventional authentication mechanisms that require users to re-enter their credentials lead to friction. And this isn’t a subtle way to please your users, especially in an era where customers crave quick, hassle-free experiences backed with robust security. Enter modern single sign-on that revolutionizes authentication experience across multiple touchpoints and devices.

Imagine you log in to a website through your laptop, and later, you’re using your mobile device and try to log in to the same application but find yourself already logged in. Seems like magic, doesn’t it?  The delightful experience across multiple user touchpoints is what makes a difference in the ever-evolving modern digital business landscape. Thus, businesses must put their best foot forward in adopting an authentication mechanism that not only reinvents user experience but eventually assures security.

Here’s where the critical role of a cutting-edge SSO comes into play! Let’s understand how modern SSO offers businesses a competitive edge in this era without compromising security. 

1. No More Complex Passwords

Admit it; remembering complex passwords isn’t something that we would love, especially when you have to use multiple complex passwords for interconnected passwords. For instance, if a user visits an XYZ website and registers and wishes to explore other services offered, they have to re-authenticate to access the desired application/website. Here’s where a lot of friction may force users to switch, leading to a decrease in the number of potential customers. 

Furthermore, most users may find using new complex passwords for different platforms frustrating. Thus, they re-use their current password. This is risky since a little negligence may lead to a compromised identity.

Hence, businesses offering multiple services through different platforms must gear up to leverage single sign-on’s true potential to shun the hassle of remembering numerous passwords and enhancing customer identity security and experience.

2. SSO With Multi-Factor Authentication

Single sign-on alone could revamp your overall authentication experience, attracting many customers. However, most customers aren’t just seeking great experiences; they expect seamless user experiences backed with robust authentication security. Multi-factor authentication is a robust security mechanism that allows businesses to verify their customers’ identities without hampering the overall user experience.

Whether we talk about security questions, one-time passwords (OTPs), or biometrics, multi-factor authentication reinforces login security to a great extent. Users need to go through two or more layers of authentication. 

Many businesses are quickly stepping towards modern customer identity management solutions that offer robust multi-factor authentication capabilities to safeguard their sensitive information and their customers’ identities.

Hence, enterprises that are considering stepping ahead of the competition must consider incorporating modern SSO with MFA to create a perfect harmony between user experience and security.

3. SSO with Adaptive Authentication- For High-Risk Situations

Many modern businesses face user experience challenges while adding multiple layers of authentication into their authentication mechanism. This practice hampers user experience since a user has to go through a series of authentication to prove their identity.

SSO with built-in adaptive authentication capabilities is the solution to the above dilemma since it automatically adds a stringent authentication layer to the existing authentication (multi-factor authentication) whenever the system detects any unusual login attempt.

Adaptive authentication works precisely for high-risk situations where the user’s one or more authentication factors are already compromised, including credentials and OTP. The system senses any unusual login pattern or a new login device/location and automatically adds one more layer of authentication to ensure the right person has access.

Enterprises can rely on SSO with adaptive authentication to ensure they can secure their customers’ sensitive information without hampering user experience due to multiple layers of authentication. 

To Conclude

SSO has revolutionized the conventional authentication mechanism by offering a seamless experience to users and has provided endless possibilities for businesses. However, security is one of the major challenges faced by many organizations, and building trust in customers demands a robust foundation of security coupled with user experience. Here’s where leveraging cutting-edge SSO with advanced security features like multi-factor authentication and adaptive authentication emerge as a game-changer. 

Enterprises can invoke the true potential of single sign-on with added security features through a reliable customer identity management solution that can help thrive overall business success. 

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