In today’s IT landscape, users expect seamless and secure access to applications — whether they’re logging in with enterprise credentials or social accounts like Google, GitHub, or LinkedIn. Red Hat Single Sign-On (RHSSO), built on the Keycloak project, makes this possible through Identity Brokering and User Federation.
What is Identity Brokering?
Identity Brokering in RHSSO allows applications to authenticate users via external Identity Providers (IdPs). Instead of creating separate accounts for each application, users can log in using trusted providers such as:
Social logins (Google, Facebook, GitHub, LinkedIn)
Enterprise IdPs (SAML, OIDC-based providers, Azure AD, Okta, etc.)
👉 This not only simplifies the user experience but also strengthens security by centralizing authentication.
What is User Federation?
User Federation connects RHSSO directly with existing user stores (e.g., LDAP or Active Directory). Instead of duplicating accounts, RHSSO uses the existing identity source for authentication.
With federation enabled, you can:
Integrate with LDAP/Active Directory for user authentication
Synchronize user attributes (like email, roles, and groups)
Provide a unified login across apps without migrating identity data
Benefits of Identity Brokering & User Federation
Single Sign-On (SSO): One login grants access to multiple applications.
Flexibility: Support for both social logins and enterprise directories.
Centralized Security: Manage policies, MFA, and access in one place.
Reduced Admin Effort: No need to manage separate user accounts in every app.
Configuring RHSSO for Identity Brokering
Create a Realm – Define a secure boundary for your applications.
Add an Identity Provider – Choose from SAML, OpenID Connect, or a social provider (e.g., Google).
Configure Client Applications – Register apps with RHSSO to enforce authentication through the IdP.
Test the Login Flow – Ensure users can log in via the external provider seamlessly.
Configuring RHSSO for User Federation
Go to User Federation in the RHSSO Admin Console.
Add Provider – Select LDAP or Active Directory.
Configure Connection Settings – Provide host, port, and bind credentials.
Sync Users – Import or sync user attributes into RHSSO.
Set Authentication Flow – Ensure federation is prioritized in login flows.
Real-World Use Case
Imagine an enterprise running multiple applications (HR portal, CRM, support tools). Employees log in with corporate Active Directory, while partners and customers use Google or LinkedIn. RHSSO acts as the secure hub, brokering identities and federating user accounts, all while giving admins centralized control.
Final Thoughts
By leveraging Identity Brokering and User Federation, RHSSO provides a scalable and secure approach to managing authentication across applications. Whether you need to support social logins for customers or federated logins for employees, RHSSO delivers the flexibility and security modern organizations demand.
For more info, Hawkstack
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