Flowcharts & Processes

Understanding the SAML 2.0 Web SSO Flow

Flowcharts & Algorithms diagram · made in Skemio

Flowchart illustrating the SAML SSO sequence: user visits SP, gets redirected to IdP with AuthnRequest, authenticates, returns signed assertion, and accesses app.
Flowchart illustrating the SAML SSO sequence: user visits SP, gets redirected to IdP with AuthnRequest, authenticates, returns signed assertion, and accesses app.
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What it shows

  • The Service Provider redirects the browser with an encoded AuthnRequest.
  • The Identity Provider handles authentication and signs an XML assertion.
  • The user agent POSTs the signed assertion back to the ACS URL.

The takeaway

SAML passes trust via cryptographically signed tokens forwarded through the client's browser.

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