Security assertion markup language

Security assertion markup language (SAML) is a standard Informatique defining a protocol to exchange related informations with safety. Based on on the language XML, SAML was developed by OASIS.

The most important problem that SAML tries to solve is that of the single Authentification (in individual English sign one or SSO) on the Web. It is a question of making it possible a user to only once sail on several different sites while being authenticated, without for all this these sites have access to too confidential information.

The solutions of SSO on the level of a Intranet abound (by using cookie S, for example) but to prolong these solutions beyond an Intranet are problematic and involved the proliferation of technologies of Industrial property which are not suited to interopérer.

SAML is a standard supported by a great number of solutions of SSO for the problems of management of identity. Microsoft proposes a concurrent solution with WS-Federation.

SAML supposes that the principal (often a user) was registered with at least a Fournisseur of identity. This supplier of identity is supposed to provide local services of authentification to the main thing. However, SAML does not indicate the implementation of these local services; indeed, for SAML it does not matter how the local services of authentification are applied (although the service providers are certainly concerned with it).

History of SAML

SAML 1.0

SAML 1.0 was adopted like normalizes by OASIS in November 2002. SAML underwent a minor revision and major since V1.0, although being a relatively simple protocol. SAML 1.0 is of interest more than historical, since the initiative E-Authentication Initiative of the E. - U. adopted SAML 1.0 as a technology of core.

Versions 1.0 and 1.1 of SAML are similar. See [SAMLDiff] for specific differences between the two standards.

SAML 1.1

SAML 1.1 was ratified like normalizes OASIS in September 2003. The critical aspects of SAML 1.1 are covered in details in the official documents [SAMLConform], [SAMLCore] and [SAMLBind]. The beginners of SAML should probably begin with [SAMLOverview].

SAML 2.0

SAML 2.0 was approved in March 2005. It is about a major version, built by the unification of SAML 1, standard ID-FF ( Identity federation framework ) suggested by the Liberty Alliance and of the university project Shibboleth.

See too

Liberty Alliance
Lightweight Third Party Authentication
strong Authentification
RSA Security
WS-Security
Shibboleth

References

E. Maler and Al , Bindings and Profile for the OASIS Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) V1.1. OASIS, September 2003. Document ID oasis-sstc-saml-bindings-profile-1.1 http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/security/

E. Maler and Al , Conformance Program Specification for the OASIS Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) V1.1. OASIS, September 2003. Document ID oasis-sstc-saml-conform-1.1 http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/security/

E. Maler and Al , Assertions and Protocols for the OASIS Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML). OASIS, September 2003. Document ID oasis-sstc-saml-core-1.1 http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/security/

P. Mishra and Al , Differences between OASIS Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) V1.1 and V1.0. OASIS, May 2003. Document ID sstc-saml-diff-1.1-draft-01 http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/security/

J. Hughes and Al , Technical Overview off the OASIS Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) V1.1. OASIS, May 2004. Document ID sstc-saml-tech-overview-1.1-Cd http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/security/

Random links: