Identity and Access Management. Part 2: Identity Federation, Authentication Broker, and Identity Providers

In part 1 of this series we understood Authentication and Authorization. Now its time to go deeper into some esoteric terms. You may have across these terms many times but may choosen to took the terms at face value and built some understanding. Lets get deeper today.

Identity Federation, Authentication Broker, and Identity Providers

Identity Federation, Authentication Brokers, and Identity Providers are interrelated components that work together to enable secure and seamless authentication and access across multiple systems and domains. Let’s explore how they are connected:

1. Identity Federation: Identity Federation refers to the process of establishing trust and enabling the exchange of authentication and authorization information between different organizations or domains. It allows users to utilize their credentials from one organization (Identity Provider) to access resources or services in another organization (Service Provider) without the need for separate user accounts. Identity Federation simplifies the authentication process, enhances user experience, and promotes seamless access across trusted domains.
2. Authentication Broker: An Authentication Broker acts as an intermediary between Service Providers (applications or systems) and Identity Providers. It helps facilitate the authentication process by abstracting the complexities of various authentication protocols and identity providers, allowing Service Providers to connect with multiple Identity Providers seamlessly. The Authentication Broker simplifies integration and provides a consistent interface for the Service Providers to authenticate users, validate tokens, and retrieve user attributes from different Identity Providers.
3. Identity Providers (IdPs): Identity Providers are entities responsible for authenticating users and issuing identity tokens or assertions that vouch for the user’s identity. They typically manage user credentials, perform authentication, and generate tokens that can be used to assert the user’s identity. IdPs play a critical role in Identity Federation by providing the trusted source of user authentication and identity information. They authenticate users, generate identity assertions, and share the necessary information with Service Providers through the Authentication Broker.

Relationship between Identity Federation, Authentication Broker, and Identity Providers:

• Identity Federation establishes the trust relationships and protocols necessary to enable the secure exchange of authentication and authorization information between different organizations or domains.
• Identity Providers authenticate users and issue identity tokens or assertions that assert the user’s identity and attributes. They are the primary source of authentication and user identity information in the federation ecosystem.
• Authentication Brokers act as intermediaries between Service Providers and Identity Providers. They facilitate the authentication process, abstracting the complexities of different authentication protocols and enabling Service Providers to integrate with multiple Identity Providers seamlessly.

How they work together:

1. Service Providers integrate with the Authentication Broker, which serves as a centralized access point for authentication and authorization.
2. When a user attempts to access a protected resource in a Service Provider, the Service Provider redirects the user to the Authentication Broker for authentication.
3. The Authentication Broker presents the user with a choice of Identity Providers (if multiple are available) or automatically selects the appropriate Identity Provider based on predefined rules or user preferences.
4. The user is redirected to the selected Identity Provider for authentication.
5. The Identity Provider authenticates the user, generates an identity token or assertion, and sends it back to the Authentication Broker.
6. The Authentication Broker validates the token, extracts the necessary user attributes, and passes the authenticated user information to the Service Provider.
7. The Service Provider uses the received identity information to authorize the user’s access to the requested resource.

Benefits of Identity Federation with Authentication Broker and Identity Providers:

• Simplified User Experience: Users can authenticate once with their chosen Identity Provider and gain access to multiple Service Providers without the need for separate accounts or repeated authentication.
• Centralized Control: Identity Providers centralize user management, authentication policies, and identity assertions, allowing for consistent authentication and authorization across multiple Service Providers.
• Seamless Integration: Authentication Brokers abstract the complexities of different authentication protocols and provide a unified interface for Service Providers, simplifying integration with multiple Identity Providers.
• Scalability and Interoperability: Identity Federation, combined with Authentication Brokers, supports scalable and interoperable authentication and access control solutions, accommodating diverse systems and technologies.

By leveraging the capabilities of Identity Federation, Authentication Brokers, and Identity Providers, organizations can establish a secure and streamlined authentication ecosystem. This enables seamless access to resources, enhances user experience, and simplifies integration across trusted domains or organizations.

Here are examples of open-source and paid tools that can be used in the context of Identity Federation, Authentication Brokers, and Identity Providers:

Open-Source Tools:

1. Keycloak:

• Function: Keycloak is an open-source Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution that provides comprehensive identity federation capabilities. It supports various protocols, including SAML 2.0, OpenID Connect, and OAuth 2.0, enabling seamless authentication and authorization across applications.
• Features: Single Sign-On (SSO), Identity Brokering, Identity Federation, User Management, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
• Website: https://www.keycloak.org/

2. Gluu Server:

• Function: Gluu Server is an open-source IAM platform that offers Identity Federation features. It supports standards like SAML 2.0, OpenID Connect, and OAuth 2.0, providing SSO capabilities for web and mobile applications.
• Features: Single Sign-On (SSO), Identity Federation, User Management, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Authorization Services.
• Website: https://www.gluu.org/

Paid Tools:

1. Okta:

• Function: Okta is a cloud-based identity management platform that offers comprehensive Identity Federation capabilities. It supports various protocols and provides centralized identity management and SSO services.
• Features: Single Sign-On (SSO), Identity Federation, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), User Lifecycle Management, API Access Management.
• Website: https://www.okta.com/

2. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD):

• Function: Azure AD is a cloud-based identity and access management solution provided by Microsoft. It offers robust Identity Federation capabilities, integration with Microsoft services, and support for industry-standard protocols.
• Features: Single Sign-On (SSO), Identity Federation, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), User Lifecycle Management, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC).
• Website: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/active-directory/

To get deeper into the topic, please follow remaining parts here

Identity and Access Management. Part 1 : Authentication and Authorization

Identity and Access Management. Part 3: Protocols

Identity and Access Management. Part 4: API Authorization

Identity and Access Management. Part 5: Microservices