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Kansas State University

IT Help Desk
Kansas State University
214 Hale Library
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-7722
helpdesk@k-state.edu

Who do I contact for questions about SSO?

If you need assistance configuring your web application to use SSO or have any other SSO questions, contact the Office of Mediated Education or submit a service request to the K-State IT Help Desk at helpdesk@k-state.edu.

Single sign-on (SSO)

What is single sign-on?

Single sign-on is a session/user authentication process that allows a user to provide his or her credentials one time in order to access multiple applications. It eliminates future authentication requests when the user opens or switches applications during a particular session.

Web single sign-on works strictly with applications accessed using a web browser. The request to access the web resource is diverted to a central authentication service and returned only after the user successfully enters their authentication credentials.

Why should we use single sign-on?
  • Reduction in the time taken by users in sign-on operations to individual applications, including reducing the possibility of such sign-on operations failing.
  • Improved security through the reduced need for a user to handle and remember multiple sets of authentication information.
  • Reduction in the time taken, and improved response, by system administrators in adding and removing users to the system or modifying their access rights.
  • Improved security through the enhanced ability of system administrators to maintain the integrity of user account configuration including the ability to inhibit or remove an individual user's access to all system resources in a coordinated and consistent manner.
How do I implement single sign-on?

Web applications within the K-State domain will need a Central Authentication Service (CAS) client in order to be configured to use single sign-on.

CAS clients have been established for the following applications:

Additional information about CAS-ifying your applications can be found at http://www.ja-sig.org/products/cas/client/casifying/index.html.