Why you should really be using single sign-on (SSO) to secure your video storage

What is SSO, and how does it secure your video storage?

Single sign-on (SSO) is a security protocol that centralizes user credentials for accessing software and services. It eliminates the need for several different passwords, LDAPs, and logins for separate accounts, unifying them under a shared token managed by identity providers (IdP) like Auth0, Okta, and OneLogin. These identity management services maintain an active directory of IPs, tokens, and connected accounts, enabling users to log into separate services with the same credentials.

When a service or application like Vimeo authenticates a user’s login attempt, it typically checks a secure database to verify user credentials. With SSO in place, an identity provider handles that process instead. Once the login is verified, the identity provider issues the user an SSO token that automatically authenticates their credentials for any connected service. 

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What’s a single sign-on token, and what other terms should you know?

An SSO token is an encrypted credential that can authenticate your login for any connected service. It’s saved to your device after logging in with an identity provider and is valid for any service, account, or software that integrates with that service provider. 

For example, Microsoft Azure offers SSO integrations with platforms like Adobe and Vimeo. If you use your Microsoft account to create accounts for those services, you’ll get an SSO token when you log in. With it, you can access all those accounts without signing into each one.

The single sign-on authentication system is complex, with several components that work together to make it function properly. Here are some key terms to understand about how this access management system operates:

• Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML): An XML-based protocol language used to create certificates that authenticate user credentials.
• OAuth: A standard framework that identity providers and services use to validate user credentials and manage access.
• Identity providers (IdP): A service that authenticates user credentials when they try to log into other platforms.
• OpenID Connect (OIDC): A protocol that reduces the risk of stolen passwords and enhances SSO by adding an ID token to the single sign-on process.
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA): A system that creates additional steps required to authenticate a user before they can log in, such as a passcode, fingerprint, or phone number. 

Benefits of using SSO authentication

SSO streamlines the login processes your employees use daily. With the proper setup, SSO offers the following benefits:

• Convenience: Team members only need to log in once at the start of their day to access every application and service they need.
• Security: Safeguarding the security of one centralized directory is much easier than attempting to protect multiple, separate directories.
• Time-saving: When your team has just one password for all the tools they use, they’re less likely to waste time recovering and resetting forgotten passwords.
• Access control: If you control the SSO system, you can restrict or grant access to specific tools to new or existing employees with just a few clicks.
• Compliance: Several regulations like HIPAA require certain security measures to be in place to secure passwords, tokens, and login details, and SSO meets those criteria.

7 key factors to consider when choosing a single sign-on provider

With an expert tech department, you could set up a proprietary SSO system just for your business, but that requires a significant investment in infrastructure and hiring. Instead, you could sign up for an SSO service like Auth0, Okta, or OneLogin. They’ll manage all the architecture needed and provide a secure way for your employees to sign in, access files on a cloud, and use applications. 

When shopping around for the right solution, consider these seven factors.

1. Extra authentication features

SSO is useful on its own, but additional features like OCID and MFA further enhance your organization’s security. Make sure whichever SSO provider you choose offers extra layers of protection that guarantee all your employees’ credentials are secure. If you’re a HIPAA-covered entity, the BAA you sign with the provider should mention these authentication features as well.

2. Access controls

The best SSO providers offer a dashboard where you can revoke or grant access in a few clicks. You can also set thresholds for how often passwords should change or licenses should renew. These features make onboarding new employees or closing unused accounts quick and seamless. 

3. A strong reputation

Check websites like G2, where real users rate their experience with software and service providers. Look for any instances of data breaches or other security concerns. Even a single security incident could indicate the service has vulnerabilities that bad actors could exploit, so look for SSO services with impeccable records and good customer service reviews. 

4. Analytics

Some SSO services allow you to see when and where users log in using their SSO, which can provide valuable information about your employees’ behavior. That information is crucial for remote workers, who generally need to follow strict guidelines about which networks they use. If you detect that they’ve logged in via an insecure network, you can take action immediately by resetting their login credentials and directing them to the correct portal.

5. Employee dashboards

Employees using your chosen SSO service may also wish to see their own analytics. A dashboard can show them the records of their login behavior and provide them a centralized place to check which applications and services they can access. If they need additional authorizations, they should be able to use the dashboard to make the necessary requests.

6. Developer controls

Managers may want to interact with the centralized directory that the SSO service uses to store their organization’s login credentials. If you have an IT team, you’ll want to enable them to manage the service carefully. Select an SSO provider that offers those controls with an API and admin controls.

7. Large-scale organization

An enterprise SSO solution should let you organize access controls and grant access to users based on their department. That way, you can simply slot them into the right team, and the service will do the rest. This process is similar to how Vimeo’s secure video hosting service enables you to set up teams that can each access specific folders and files — an SSO service does the same thing, but with applications.

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How to keep videos secure with Vimeo’s enterprise-grade SSO

Vimeo’s enterprise-grade SSO integration works for your whole company, from marketing and sales teams to customer support. It’s backed by the most recent SOC and ISO/IEC security assurances to ensure your employees’ login credentials are secure in the long term. 

Vimeo Enterprise not only supports these strict authentication standards but complements them with controls like folder-level permissions, private team spaces, and audit-friendly certifications. And with added security layers like MFA and domain-level privacy settings, you can rest easy knowing that all the videos your organization uses are carefully managed and protected.