Assertion

Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) is a robust open standard that enables the exchange of authentication and authorization data between different security domains. It is most commonly used in Single Sign-On (SSO) scenarios, allowing users to access multiple applications with a single login. To effectively implement and manage secure SSO systems, it’s essential to understand the fundamental components of SAML: Assertion, Binding, Protocol, and Metadata. 1. Assertion Visual Overview: sequenceDiagram participant User participant SP as Service Provider participant IdP as Identity Provider User->>SP: 1. Access Protected Resource SP->>User: 2. Redirect to IdP (SAML Request) User->>IdP: 3. SAML AuthnRequest IdP->>User: 4. Login Page User->>IdP: 5. Authenticate IdP->>User: 6. SAML Response (Assertion) User->>SP: 7. POST SAML Response SP->>SP: 8. Validate Assertion SP->>User: 9. Grant Access The Assertion is the core element of the SAML protocol. It represents a statement made by the Identity Provider (IdP) about a subject, usually the user, and contains authentication and authorization information. This information is passed to the Service Provider (SP), which uses it to grant or deny access to the requested resources. There are three main types of assertions: ...