Terms

Single Sign-On (SSO)

Single sign-on (SSO) is an authentication method that allows users to access multiple applications and systems using a single set of login credentials. By centralizing the authentication process, SSO eliminates the need for users to manage separate passwords for each service, which enhances both user convenience and overall security. This approach is widely used in business environments to streamline access to various internal and cloud-based tools.

Benefits of Single Sign-On

Implementing SSO offers significant advantages for both end-users and the organization as a whole. It streamlines workflows, bolsters security, and reduces the administrative burden on IT departments, leading to widespread improvements.

  • Convenience: Users log in once to access all their applications, eliminating password fatigue.
  • Security: Centralized authentication reduces the risk of phishing and encourages stronger, unique passwords.
  • Efficiency: Reduces time spent on password resets for both users and IT support staff.
  • Control: IT teams can centrally manage access policies and quickly revoke permissions when needed.
  • Compliance: Centralized logging simplifies auditing and helps meet regulatory requirements.

Common Use Cases for SSO

SSO is a versatile tool commonly used in business settings to manage user access across a wide range of applications. It simplifies authentication for employees, especially remote workers, who need seamless entry into various cloud services and internal systems.

  • Enterprise: Streamlining employee access to a mix of cloud and on-premise applications.
  • SaaS: Simplifying login for users accessing multiple third-party Software-as-a-Service platforms.
  • Federation: Enabling users to log into third-party sites using credentials from providers like Google or Microsoft.
  • Security: Centralizing user deprovisioning and enforcing consistent security policies across all connected services.

Single Sign-On (SSO) vs. Federated Identity Management (FIM)

While often used together, SSO and FIM serve distinct purposes in managing digital identities and access control.

  • SSO: Focuses on user convenience within a single organization, allowing access to multiple applications with one login. While it simplifies access and reduces password fatigue, it can be a single point of failure. Enterprises use it to streamline internal employee access to a suite of managed applications.
  • FIM: A broader framework enabling identity sharing across different organizations. It's essential for business partnerships, allowing users from one company to securely access another's systems. While powerful for cross-domain trust, implementation can be complex. It's preferred for mergers or collaborations with external vendors.

Security Considerations with SSO

While SSO enhances convenience, it also centralizes risk, creating a single point of failure. If an attacker compromises a user's single set of credentials, they can gain access to all connected applications. This makes the SSO login a high-value target for phishing attacks and other forms of credential theft.

To mitigate these vulnerabilities, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) is crucial. MFA adds a vital layer of security beyond just a password. Organizations should also enforce strong password policies and monitor for suspicious activity to secure the centralized authentication point.

Implementing SSO in Your Organization

This is how you can implement single sign-on in your organization.

  1. Choose an SSO provider and select an authentication protocol like SAML or OIDC that fits your system's needs.
  2. Set up an identity provider (IdP) and integrate it with your existing user directories, such as Active Directory.
  3. Configure your applications (service providers) to establish a trust relationship with the IdP, allowing them to accept its authentication tokens.
  4. Enforce security measures like multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access controls to protect the system.
  5. Thoroughly test the integration across all applications before deploying it to your users.

Frequently Asked Questions about Single Sign-On (SSO)

How does SSO handle different applications?

SSO uses protocols like SAML or OIDC. The identity provider authenticates you once, then sends a secure digital token to each application to confirm your identity without sharing your password. This establishes a trusted session across services.

Isn't SSO just a glorified password manager?

No. A password manager stores and autofills unique credentials for many sites. SSO centralizes authentication, allowing you to use one set of credentials to access multiple applications directly, eliminating the need for separate passwords altogether.

What happens if our SSO provider has an outage?

An SSO provider outage can block access to all connected applications. To mitigate this, organizations often implement redundancy, failover systems, or provide emergency access methods for critical services to ensure business continuity during downtime.

Other terms

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Marketing Play

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Analytics Platforms

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Customer Engagement

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Dynamic Data

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Account

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Lead Enrichment Tools

Lead enrichment tools are platforms that automatically add missing data to your leads, like contact info, firmographics, and buying signals.

Lead Enrichment Tools

Direct Sales

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Target Buying Stage

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Lead Enrichment

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Lead Enrichment

Marketing Attribution

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Marketing Attribution

B2B Demand Generation Strategy

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Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

A Unique Value Proposition (UVP) is a concise statement that clearly communicates the unique benefit a customer gets from your product or service.

Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

Sales Pipeline Velocity

Sales pipeline velocity is a metric that measures how quickly deals move through your sales funnel to generate revenue for your business.

Sales Pipeline Velocity

Precision Targeting

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Account Click Through Rate

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Buyer Behavior

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B2B Marketing KPIs

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Applicant Tracking System

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Applicant Tracking System

Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB)

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Tokenization

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Average Customer Life

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Average Customer Life

User Testing

User testing involves observing real users interact with a product to identify usability issues and improve the overall user experience.

User Testing

Customer Loyalty

Customer loyalty is a customer’s devotion to a brand, shown by their repeat purchases and engagement, driven by positive experiences and trust.

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Sales Stack

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Sales Stack

Inside Sales Rep

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Lookalike Audiences

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Email Personalization

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Email Personalization

Cross-Site Scripting

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Sales Funnel

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Brand Awareness

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Channel Partner

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Channel Partner

Data Mining

Data mining is the process of discovering patterns, trends, and useful information from large datasets to make better business decisions.

Data Mining

Corporate Identity

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Corporate Identity

Channel Marketing

Channel marketing is a strategy where a company sells its products or services through third-party partners, like resellers or affiliates.

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Customer Success

Customer Success is a business strategy focused on proactively helping customers achieve their goals with your product or service.

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Video Messaging

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Proof of Concept

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Proof of Concept

Outbound Lead Generation

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Outbound Lead Generation

Challenger Sales Model

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Marketing Metrics

Marketing metrics are quantifiable values that marketing teams use to measure and track the performance of their campaigns and efforts.

Marketing Metrics

Market Intelligence

Market intelligence is the process of collecting and analyzing data about your target market, competitors, and industry to guide business strategy.

Market Intelligence

Sales Strategy

A sales strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines how a business will sell its products or services to achieve its revenue goals.

Sales Strategy

Knowledge Base

A knowledge base is a self-serve online library of information about a product, service, department, or topic.

Knowledge Base

DMP

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DMP

Below the Line

Learn about below the line, including key strategies for below the line marketing, & distinguishing above and below the line tactics.

Below the Line

Sales Automation

Sales automation uses software to streamline and automate repetitive, manual sales tasks, freeing up reps to focus on selling.

Sales Automation

Contact Data

Contact data is the set of details, like names, emails, and phone numbers, used to get in touch with a person or business for outreach.

Contact Data

C-Level or C-Suite

The C-suite, or C-level, refers to a company's most senior executives. Their titles usually start with 'Chief,' such as CEO, CFO, or CTO.

C-Level or C-Suite

Qualified Lead

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AI-Powered Marketing

AI marketing uses artificial intelligence to analyze data, automate decisions, and deliver personalized customer experiences at scale.

AI-Powered Marketing

B2B Sales

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Hadoop

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Brand Equity

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Return on Investment (ROI)

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Return on Investment (ROI)

Dark Funnel

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Sales Qualified Lead

A Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) is a prospect vetted by marketing and sales, deemed ready for a direct sales pitch after showing intent to buy.

Sales Qualified Lead

Day Sales Outstanding

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Day Sales Outstanding

Custom API integration

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High Availability

High availability (HA) describes a system's capacity to function continuously with minimal downtime, ensuring consistent operational performance.

High Availability

Triggers

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Triggers

Browser Compatibility

Learn about browser compatibility, including understanding the importance, common challenges, best practices, & tools for testing.

Browser Compatibility

Subject Matter Expert

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Complex Sale

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Data-Driven Lead Generation

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Data-Driven Lead Generation

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

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LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Average Order Value

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Voice Broadcasting

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Software as a Service

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Software as a Service

CCPA Compliance

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CCPA Compliance

Positioning Statement

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Positioning Statement

Trigger Marketing

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Trigger Marketing

Site Retargeting

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Site Retargeting

Request for Information

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Request for Information

Ransomware

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Ransomware

Customer Data Management (CDM)

Customer Data Management (CDM) is the process of collecting, organizing, and analyzing customer data to create a unified view of your audience.

Customer Data Management (CDM)

Direct Mail

Direct mail is a marketing method where businesses send physical promotional materials directly to potential customers' mailboxes.

Direct Mail

SFDC

SFDC stands for Salesforce Dot Com, a popular cloud-based CRM platform that helps companies manage their customer interactions and data.

SFDC

Account Mapping

Account mapping is comparing your customer list with a partner's to find common prospects and unlock new sales opportunities.

Account Mapping

Challenger Sales

The Challenger Sales model is a methodology where reps teach prospects, tailor their pitch, and take control of the sales conversation.

Challenger Sales

Pain Point

A pain point is a specific, recurring problem your target customers face, causing them frustration, inefficiency, or added costs.

Pain Point

Regression Analysis

Regression analysis is a statistical method for estimating the relationships between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables.

Regression Analysis

Salesforce Administrator

A Salesforce Administrator is a certified professional who manages and customizes the Salesforce platform to meet a company's specific business needs.

Salesforce Administrator

Docker

Docker is a tool that packages applications and their dependencies into isolated environments called containers for easy deployment and scaling.

Docker

Buyer’s Remorse

Buyer’s remorse is the sense of regret or anxiety that can arise after making a purchase, often questioning if it was the right decision.

Buyer’s Remorse

Drip Campaign

A drip campaign is a series of automated messages sent to prospects or customers over time to nurture leads and drive engagement.

Drip Campaign

Agile Methodology

Agile methodology is an iterative approach to project management and software development, focusing on delivering value in small, incremental steps.

Agile Methodology

Sales Performance Management (SPM)

Sales Performance Management (SPM) is a suite of tools and processes that help businesses monitor, analyze, and boost sales team performance.

Sales Performance Management (SPM)

Data Privacy

Data privacy is an individual's right to control their personal information, including how it's collected, processed, stored, and shared.

Data Privacy

Pipeline Coverage

Pipeline coverage is a key sales metric. It's the ratio of your total open pipeline value to your sales quota for a specific period.

Pipeline Coverage

Functional Testing

Functional testing verifies that software performs its intended functions as specified in the requirements, ensuring it works as users expect.

Functional Testing

HubSpot

HubSpot is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform with tools for marketing, sales, and service, all aimed at helping businesses grow.

HubSpot

Prospecting

Prospecting is the process of identifying potential customers, or prospects, to build a sales pipeline and generate new business opportunities.

Prospecting

Stress Testing

Stress testing is a type of software testing that determines a system's robustness by pushing it beyond its normal operational capacity.

Stress Testing

Account-Based Marketing Benchmarks

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) benchmarks are key metrics used to measure the performance and success of your targeted account strategies.

Account-Based Marketing Benchmarks

Subscription Models

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Subscription Models

Competitive Advantage

A competitive advantage is a unique edge that allows a business to produce goods or services better or more cheaply than its rivals.

Competitive Advantage

Headless CMS

A headless CMS is a back-end content repository that delivers content via API to any front-end, decoupling the content from its presentation layer.

Headless CMS

Economic Order Quantity

Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) is the ideal order quantity a company should purchase to minimize its total inventory-related costs.

Economic Order Quantity

Marketing Automation Platform

A marketing automation platform is software that automates marketing actions. It helps manage tasks like email campaigns and lead nurturing.

Marketing Automation Platform

Data Hygiene

Data hygiene is the practice of ensuring your customer data is clean, accurate, and up-to-date by removing duplicates and correcting errors.

Data Hygiene