Single Sign On Solutions Boost State Security

Single sign-on tools provide a number of valuable security benefits. Among the most significant is that they help agencies prevent the proliferation of bad passwords.

As the number of apps steadily increases, the number of passwords also grows. That means users are often forced into choosing similar passwords or predictable password patterns, both of which decrease security and make it easier for hackers to compromise apps. SSO tools can make passwords more complex without users having to remember them. They also add multiple authentication factors and allow the sign-on authentication to be adjusted based on the amount of relative risk involved. That way, agencies can significantly increase their application security.

Many agencies also must deal with an increasing number of mobile devices in their environments. SSO tools provide greater access management, making it easier for agencies to support and secure mobile devices and ensure that a lost or stolen device doesn’t compromise data security. Many vendors now integrate mobile device management with SSO tools.

SSO also helps agencies better bridge the gap between cloud and on-premises servers, applications and services. As more agencies migrate their apps to the cloud, end users need better password management to run their entire portfolio of apps. Having an SSO product can also make users more productive by eliminating the search for where an app resides and also bridging the gap among different cloud ­deployments, regardless of where an app is located.

To learn more about the benefits of single sign-on tools and how to smooth rollouts for state and local governments, check out our article "3 Steps to Simplify Single Sign-On for State and Local Governments."