What is Universal Login and how does it work?

Employees at organizations using hundreds of apps may manage multiple accounts and passwords daily. This constant login shuffle is not only frustrating but also a significant security risk. 

Universal Login, or Universal SSO, addresses this issue by allowing users to log in once to access multiple applications and services.

In this article, we’ll discuss Universal Login, how it works, and its benefits.

What is Universal Login or Universal SSO?

At its core, Universal Login is a centralized authentication system that allows users to authenticate once and access multiple apps.

Think of it as a master key — one login that works across the board.

How does this tie into Single Sign-On (SSO)? Universal Login is a specific implementation of SSO providing seamless, cross-platform login. 

SSO serves as the underlying mechanism that enables this by allowing users to access multiple applications with a single set of credentials.

How Universal Login works

At the heart of Universal Login are Identity Providers (IdPs). These are trusted entities that verify a user’s identity and manage the authentication processes. Examples of popular IdPs include Google, Microsoft Azure AD, and Okta.

So how does it work?

1. User access request: A user attempts to access an application or service. Instead of logging in directly, they are redirected to the Identity Provider (IdP).
2. Identity provider authentication: The IdP prompts the user to log in using their credentials. Once the user enters their credentials, the IdP verifies their identity.
3. Issuance of a security token: Upon successful authentication, the IdP generates a security token containing information about the user’s identity and permissions. Common token formats include JWT (JSON Web Token) for OAuth2 or OIDC and SAML assertions for SAML-based SSO.
4. Token validation: The security token is passed back to the client (the user’s device) and then sent to the application server. The server checks the validity of the token.
5. Access granted: If the token is valid, the server grants the user access to the application without requiring further authentication. This process is repeated across multiple applications, enabling seamless access across various services.
6. Session management: Once authenticated, session management kicks in. This keeps the user logged in across different applications or services without needing to re-enter credentials. Tokens or cookies are typically used and are periodically refreshed to maintain the session.

Identity federation (optional): In some cases, Universal Login implementations include identity federation. This allows different organizations to trust each other’s IdPs, enabling users from one organization to access resources in another without needing separate credentials.

Universal SSO vs. traditional SSO

Scope

Traditional SSO is typically confined to applications within a specific organization or domain. Once a user logs in, they can access all the applications within that environment without re-authenticating.

Universal Login, on the other hand, allows users to authenticate once and gain access to multiple applications, often across different platforms within the same organization or ecosystem. With identity federation, this access can extend across trusted organizations.

Flexibility

Traditional SSO is more suited to environments where all applications and services are under a single administrative domain.

Universal Login can offer greater flexibility in diverse authentication scenarios, especially when combined with federated identity management for cross-domain interoperability. This integration supports multiple external IdPs and apps.

Implementation complexity 

Traditional SSO, being more focused, is relatively simpler to implement. It typically requires setting up an IdP and configuring the applications within the domain to trust the IdP. 

Implementing Universal Login can be complex because of its wide scope. You must connect with multiple IdPs, manage different token formats, and coordinate cross-domain sessions. And, if federated identity is involved, you’ll also need to establish and maintain trust relationships between different organizations.

Benefits of Universal Login

How Universal Login benefits users

• It improves the user experience by eliminating the need for multiple logins. Users can navigate between different applications without the hassle of constant authentication.
• It saves users time by reducing the friction associated with logging into different systems.

How Universal Login benefits businesses

• It streamlines onboarding for new users as businesses can offer easy access to multiple services right from the start without requiring users to create and manage separate accounts for each service.
• It enhances security by allowing businesses to implement consistent security policies across all applications and platforms. This reduces the risk of security gaps that come from managing multiple disparate login systems.
• It simplifies compliance by centralizing authentication and user management, compliance policies, audit access, and data protection across all services, which are easier to enforce.
• It improves scalability by maintaining consistent user authentication as your user base and applications grow, reducing complexity and minimizing potential failures.

Best practices for Universal Login

Follow these best practices when implementing Universal Login:

• Secure token management: Tokens should have short lifetimes and be securely stored to minimize the risk of them being intercepted and misused. Additionally, have processes in place to revoke tokens immediately if you detect suspicious activity or if you need to terminate a user’s session. 
• User experience design: A well-designed login flow is crucial for user satisfaction. Keep it simple, intuitive, and visually appealing.
• Use HTTPS: Ensure that all communication between the client (the user’s browser), IdP, and application servers is encrypted using HTTPS.
• Have strong password policies: If you use password-based authentication, ensure that password policies enforce strong, complex passwords that are difficult to guess or crack.
• Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA): Require users to provide two or more verification methods to reduce the risk of unauthorized access, even if credentials are compromised.
• Regular audits and compliance checks: Conduct regular security assessments and compliance audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities. This includes reviewing user access rights, token management practices, and the security of integrated IdPs.
• Monitoring and logging: Implement comprehensive monitoring and logging to detect and respond to security incidents. Logs should capture successful and failed login attempts, token issuance, token validation, and any unusual activity.

Implementing Universal Login with WorkOS

Integrating with multiple Identity Providers (IdPs) can be complex, but WorkOS offers a unified API, allowing you to connect with all supported IdPs through a single endpoint. 

WorkOS provides pre-built integrations for popular IdPs like Google, Okta, and Microsoft Entra ID, so you don’t need to manage each provider individually.

To tailor Universal Login to your brand, WorkOS offers customizable options:‍

- AuthKit: A pre-built sign-in UI, fully customizable with your brand’s logo, colors, and copy.

- Custom Domains: Use custom domains for services like email or AuthKit hosting.

- Build Your Own UI: Create a unique front end and use WorkOS APIs for backend integration.

WorkOS includes multi-factor authentication, audit logging, advanced session management, and protections against spam and weak passwords.

By streamlining IdP integration and enhancing security, WorkOS enables you to deliver a secure login experience for your users across all platforms. Explore Unified SSO with WorkOS.