Active Directory (AD) is a directory service developed by Microsoft that manages users, computers, and permissions within an organisation's network. It acts as a centralised authentication system, allowing IT teams to control user access to systems, applications, and data. Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is the cloud-based version of AD, providing identity and access management for modern enterprise environments.
Active Directory provides a basic level of single sign-on (SSO) by authenticating users when they log into their corporate network. This allows employees to securely access resources on the corporate network and authenticate with a limited number of applications without needing to enter credentials repeatedly.
What is Single Sign-On with Microsoft Entra ID?
Single Sign-On (SSO) with Active Directory (AD) or Microsoft Entra ID provides seamless authentication for users, enabling access to network resources and a limited number of applications without the need for repeated logins. However, this leaves extensive gaps across the workforce as a result of multiple, line-of-business applications that do not readily integrated with the corporate directory. By leveraging a purpose built, leading SSO solution, once a user logs into their corporate directory, they are automatically authenticated with the SSO solution itself—without needing to log in separately, and are then automatically authenticated with all their line of business applications as required This ensures a frictionless user experience while maintaining strong security and access control.
How SSO Works with Active Directory / Entra ID
SSO solutions integrate with Active Directory (AD) or Entra ID to authenticate users and manage access efficiently. The process works as follows:
- User Logs Into the Corporate Directory – When an employee signs into Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID at the start of their workday, their identity is verified.
- Automatic Authentication with SSO – Since the user is already authenticated within the corporate directory, they do not need to log into the SSO solution separately—the trust is automatically delegated.
- Seamless Access to Applications – When the user attempts to open an application, the SSO solution authenticates them automatically without requiring credentials.
- Secure Token Exchange – If using modern authentication protocols like SAML or OIDC, the SSO provider generates a secure authentication token that the application verifies, granting the user access instantly.
- Credential-Based Authentication Support – For applications that require credentials, the SSO solution can automatically enter them on behalf of the user, eliminating the need for manual login.
- One-Time Password (OTP) Support – For applications that require OTPs, the SSO solution can automatically generate and enter these on behalf of the user, eliminating an additional, manual step in the process.
User Provisioning & Account Lifecycle Management
One of the key advantages of SSO integration with Active Directory is the automatic synchronisation of users. This eliminates manual provisioning and ensures that user accounts are always up to date:
- Automatic User Creation – When a new user is added to Active Directory or Entra ID, their SSO account is created automatically, providing them instant access to approved applications.
- Instant Access Revocation – If a user is suspended or removed from Active Directory, their SSO access is immediately revoked, preventing unauthorised access to corporate systems.
- Seamless Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) – Administrators can assign permissions and roles centrally within AD/Entra ID, ensuring that users only access applications relevant to their job role.
Security Benefits of SSO with Microsoft Entra ID
Integrating SSO with Active Directory enhances security while simplifying access control. By reducing password fatigue, users only need to remember a single set of credentials, lowering the risk of weak or reused passwords. Since authentication happens through Active Directory or Entra ID, access to applications is always governed by corporate policies, ensuring strong access control. IT teams benefit from centralised monitoring, allowing them to track user activity and reduce the risk of unauthorised access, ultimately improving compliance. Additionally, organisations can enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) at the corporate directory level, SSO level or on a per application level, adding extra layers of security across all SSO-enabled applications where required
