SSO (single sign-on)

SSO (Single Sign-On) is an authentication method that lets you access several different applications or services with a single login, without having to identify yourself again in each one. The best-known example is using your Google or Microsoft account to sign in to lots of third-party sites. For the user it means convenience and fewer passwords to remember; for companies, centralized access control that is easier to manage and audit. Its weak point is that this single account becomes a master key: if it falls into the wrong hands, it opens many doors at once, so it should be protected with a strong password and two-step verification. It often relies on protocols like OAuth ✕ OAuth is a standard that lets an application access your data on another service without giving it your password: you grant it a limited permission through a token. More in the glossary → or SAML to work securely.