Linux Single Sign-On - Maximum Security, Minimum Cost

The Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions based on Linux provide advantages that augment security, decrease costs, deliver an improved user experience, and enhance productivity, in particular for global banking and financial services organizations with operations spread across the various data centres and critical application portfolios.

Single sign-on (SSO) could be useful to IT security personnel as well as the consumers. Financial institutions are constantly implementing new application platforms and enhancing their network infrastructure. They have to balance the usage with security.

They must have access control mechanisms that enable users to use various assets in a secure way. However, enhancing a number of services requiring verification, entails users to remember more groups of usernames and passwords.

The users’ regular mishandling of login authorizations has heightened susceptibility concerns in multi-verification systems. Hence, several access management plans have been devised to negate the security risks of frequent logon requirements.

SSO is a vital aspect of the IT security strategy of many BSF firms, which are in a way the most affected by unapproved access to critical financial and customer information.

For several BSF firms, M&A activity along with increased service delivery led to a complicated IT scenario. An increase in the use of application-oriented user IDs and passwords would increase the need for a help desk support related to the password.

It is necessary for BFS firms having a business relationship with the third-party vendors to safeguard information present in the vendors’ domain from inaccurate use and distribution.

By efficiently consolidating interdependent technologies like provisioning and user authentication among others, an enterprise SSO solution can enable BFS firms to enhance the information security, reduce related help desk costs, improve customer satisfaction, and ensure workforce productivity outcomes.

There are two types of SSO - Web single sign-on (WSSO) and Enterprise single sign-on (ESSO). They deliver a consolidated platform for user verification management and a distinct access point for retrieving resources.

WSSO and ESSO platforms deliver substantial enhancements in the system usability and the network management.

 

WSSO provides the advantage of quick execution and decreased cost. ESS systems deliver better reach and resource amalgamation. The implementation of both techniques as a security constituent needs preparation and coordination with the distinct group of platforms used within the network’s framework.

Compatibility assessment is crucial to ensure that a WSS system is backed by the portal framework and an ESSO platform would function with the existing desktop scenario.

The advantages of executing an enterprise-wide SSO solution:

Reducing Security Risks

According to security experts, users either make a note of the password or select a simple one, which is a threat to the organization’s security. SSO reduces it by facilitating secondary domain applications on an authorized primary domain password. This expedites access and simplifies the process for users since they have to validate only once for each session.

Analyse User Transactions

Once the SSO solution interfaces with monitoring and reporting functions, a BFS organization can safely connect each access related to customer information to a distinct access event. These results in user- friendly security interfaced with validated privacy.

Reduce Account Management Costs

Handling various passwords is costly while also being a security threat. As per the Securities Industries Association, a trade group of Wall Street, users spend around 44 hours’ year-on-year, accessing four applications daily, thereby leading to productivity loss.

Streamline Regulatory Compliance Process

The Graham Leach Billey Act of 1999 (GLBA) makes it mandatory for financial institutions to execute the technology that would protect the customer information. Validating a portion of a comprehensive security program is vital since it enables monitoring of efforts to access distinct information.

The cost of configuring a comprehensive enterprise SSO solution for a mega organization with international operations and complicated portfolio is astounding.

A break up of the costs is as follows:

·         Initial Costs.

·         Product procurement.

·         Product customization.

·         Update user information into the proxy-SSO solution.

Ongoing Costs

·         The persisting software upgrade cost.

·         Password Management.

·         Script Maintenance.

The vital security facets of a Linux-based security model

An application service must have faith in a third-party system to:

·         Accurately affirm the identity and verification credentials of the end-user.

·         Safeguard the authentication credentials utilized to validate end-user identity to the secondary domain from any unauthorized access.

·         The authentication credentials must be safeguarded during migration from primary to secondary domains and vice versa.

This can be ensured by:

·         Utilizing Security Enhanced Linux Kernel (SELINUX) from any distribution.

·         Ensuring implementation of Linux server hardening best practices.

·         Conducting preventive vulnerability evaluations of the Linux SSO server.

·         Establishing an intrusion detection mechanism.

·         Performing audit on log messages (kernel and network traffic).

The access management has always been a concern for the BFS sector. The procedures governing the identity management have become stringent while the government’s role has also increased.

The competency to decisively validate users expeditiously encompassing an increasing amount of networked business applications is difficult.

The strategy should not only look at enhancing customer service but also reduce identity thefts and fraud risks. An effective solution that emphasizes the issues and leverages robust user identity management practices would be critical for the security and exponential business expansion.