Single Sign-On (SSO): A Comprehensive Guide with React and ExpressJS

Single Sign-On (SSO) is an authentication mechanism that allows users to log in once and access multiple connected applications or systems without needing to reauthenticate for each one. SSO centralizes user authentication into a single, trusted system (often called an Identity Provider, or IdP), which then manages credentials and issues tokens or session data to verify the user's identity across other services (known as Service Providers, or SPs).

In this guide, we'll explore how SSO works, its benefits and disadvantages, common use cases, and examples of SSO implementation in an API (Node.js with Express), a main application (React), and an external application (React). By understanding the principles and practices of SSO, organizations can enhance user experience, security, and operational efficiency across their applications and systems.

Table of Contents

• Single Sign-On (SSO)
  • How Does SSO Work?
  • Benefits of SSO
  • Disadvantages of SSO
  • Use Cases for SSO
  • SSO Implementation Examples
  • 1. API (Node.js with Express)
  • 2. Main Application (React)
  • 3. External Application (React)
• Conclusion

Links

• GitHub Repository

Demo Video

Single Sign-On (SSO)

Single Sign-On (SSO) is an authentication mechanism that allows users to log in once and gain access to multiple connected applications or systems without needing to reauthenticate for each one.

SSO centralizes user authentication into a single, trusted system (often called an Identity Provider, or IdP), which then manages credentials and issues tokens or session data to verify the user's identity across other services (known as Service Providers, or SPs).

How Does SSO Work?

SSO operates through secure token-based mechanisms like OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect (OIDC), or Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML). Here's a simplified flow:

• User Login: The user enters their credentials in the Identity Provider (IdP).

• Token Issuance: The IdP validates the credentials and issues an authentication token (e.g., JWT or SAML assertion).

• Service Access: The token is passed to the Service Providers, which validate it and grant access without requiring further logins.

Benefits of SSO

• Enhanced User Experience: Users can access multiple services with a single login, reducing friction and improving usability.

• Improved Security:

  • Reduces password fatigue, which can lead to unsafe practices like password reuse.
  • Centralized authentication allows for stronger password policies and enforcement of multi-factor authentication (MFA).

• Simplified User Management:

  • Easier for administrators to manage user access across connected applications.
  • Revoking access to a user from the IdP disables their access to all integrated systems.

• Time and Cost Efficiency:

  • Saves time for users and support teams by reducing login-related help desk requests.
  • Reduces development time and costs by leveraging existing authentication mechanisms.

• Compliance and Auditing:

  • Centralized authentication and access control make it easier to enforce security policies and track user activity.

Disadvantages of SSO

• Single Point of Failure:

  • If the IdP is unavailable or compromised, users cannot access any connected systems.
  • Mitigation: Use redundant IdPs and ensure high availability.

• Complex Implementation:

  • Integrating SSO requires significant planning and expertise, especially in environments with diverse applications and protocols.
  • Mitigation: Leverage established protocols like OAuth 2.0 or SAML and robust SSO libraries.

• Security Risks:

  • If an attacker gains access to the user's SSO credentials, they can potentially access all connected systems.
  • Mitigation: Enforce strong MFA and monitor for suspicious login activity.

• Vendor Lock-In:

  • Organizations may rely heavily on a specific IdP vendor, making migration challenging.
  • Mitigation: Choose open standards and avoid proprietary solutions.

• Token Management Challenges:

  • Expired or stolen tokens can disrupt access or create security vulnerabilities.
  • Mitigation: Implement token expiration, refresh mechanisms, and secure token storage.

Use Cases for SSO

• Enterprise Applications:

  • Employees can access various internal tools and services with a single login.
  • Simplifies onboarding and offboarding processes.

• Cloud Services:

  • Users can seamlessly switch between cloud applications without repeated logins.
  • Enhances productivity and user experience.

• Customer Portals:

  • Provides a unified login experience for customers across different services.
  • Enables personalization and targeted marketing.

• Partner Integration:

  • Facilitates secure access to shared resources between partner organizations.
  • Streamlines collaboration and data exchange.

SSO Implementation Examples

1. API (Node.js with Express)

The API acts as the Identity Provider (IdP). It authenticates users and issues JWT tokens for access.

Below is a structured breakdown of the provided code, explaining the purpose of each section for your followers. This serves as a robust example of how to implement SSO functionality in the API layer.

Setup and Dependencies

The following packages are utilized in this setup:

• express: For handling HTTP requests and routing.
• jsonwebtoken: For generating and verifying JWTs.
• cors: For handling cross-origin requests from different client applications.
• @faker-js/faker: For generating mock user and todo data.
• cookie-parser: For parsing cookies sent in requests.
• dotenv: For loading environment variables securely.

Configuration

• dotenv is used to manage the secret key securely.
• A fallback secret is provided for development environments.

dotenv.config();
const SECRET_KEY = process.env.SECRET_KEY || "secret";

Middleware

• CORS ensures that requests from specific front-end origins (main and external-app) are allowed.
• cookieParser parses cookies sent by clients.
• express.json allows parsing of JSON request bodies.

app.use(
  cors({
    origin: ["http://localhost:5173", "http://localhost:5174"],
    credentials: true,
  })
);
app.use(express.json());
app.use(cookieParser());

User Authentication and Token Generation

Mock data simulates users and their associated todos.

Users have roles (admin or user) and basic profile information.
Todos are linked to user IDs for personalized access.

• /login: Authenticates users based on email and password.

Users receive a cookie (sso_token) containing the JWT upon successful login.
This token is secure, HTTP-only, and time-limited to prevent tampering.

app.post("/login", (req, res) => {
  const { email, password } = req.body;
  const user = users.find(
    (user) => user.email === email && user.password === password
  );

  if (user) {
    const token = jwt.sign({ user }, SECRET_KEY, { expiresIn: "1h" });
    res.cookie("sso_token", token, {
      httpOnly: true,
      secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === "production",
      maxAge: 3600000,
      sameSite: "strict",
    });
    res.json({ message: "Login successful" });
  } else {
    res.status(400).json({ error: "Invalid credentials" });
  }
});

• /verify: Validates the user’s identity by decoding the token. Invalid tokens result in an unauthorized response.

app.get("/verify", (req, res) => {
  const token = req.cookies.sso_token;

  if (!token) {
    return res.status(401).json({ authenticated: false });
  }

  try {
    const decoded = jwt.verify(token, SECRET_KEY);
    res.json({ authenticated: true, user: decoded });
  } catch {
    res.status(401).json({ authenticated: false, error: "Invalid token" });
  }
});

• /logout: Clears the cookie containing the JWT token.

Ensures users can log out securely by clearing their token.

dotenv.config();
const SECRET_KEY = process.env.SECRET_KEY || "secret";

• /todos: Retrieves todos associated with the authenticated user.

app.use(
  cors({
    origin: ["http://localhost:5173", "http://localhost:5174"],
    credentials: true,
  })
);
app.use(express.json());
app.use(cookieParser());

• /todos: Adds a new todo for the authenticated user.

app.post("/login", (req, res) => {
  const { email, password } = req.body;
  const user = users.find(
    (user) => user.email === email && user.password === password
  );

  if (user) {
    const token = jwt.sign({ user }, SECRET_KEY, { expiresIn: "1h" });
    res.cookie("sso_token", token, {
      httpOnly: true,
      secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === "production",
      maxAge: 3600000,
      sameSite: "strict",
    });
    res.json({ message: "Login successful" });
  } else {
    res.status(400).json({ error: "Invalid credentials" });
  }
});

• /todos/:id: Updates a todo based on the provided ID.

app.get("/verify", (req, res) => {
  const token = req.cookies.sso_token;

  if (!token) {
    return res.status(401).json({ authenticated: false });
  }

  try {
    const decoded = jwt.verify(token, SECRET_KEY);
    res.json({ authenticated: true, user: decoded });
  } catch {
    res.status(401).json({ authenticated: false, error: "Invalid token" });
  }
});

• /todos/:id: Deletes a todo based on the provided ID.

app.post("/logout", (req, res) => {
  res.clearCookie("sso_token");
  res.json({ message: "Logout successful" });
});

2. Main Application (React)

The main application acts as a Service Provider (SP) that consumes the API and manages user interactions.

Below is a structured breakdown of the provided code, explaining the purpose of each section for your followers. This serves as a robust example of how to implement SSO functionality in the main application layer.

• App Component

The App component manages user authentication and redirects based on login status.

app.get("/todos/:userId", (req, res) => {
  const ssoToken = req.cookies.sso_token;
  const user = getUser(ssoToken);

  if (!user) {
    return res.status(401).json({ error: "Unauthorized" });
  }

  const userTodos = todos.filter((todo) => todo.userId === user.id);
  res.json(userTodos);
});

• Login Component

The Login component handles user login and redirects to the Todos page upon successful authentication.

app.post("/todos", (req, res) => {
  const ssoToken = req.cookies.sso_token;
  const user = getUser(ssoToken);

  if (!user) {
    return res.status(401).json({ error: "Unauthorized" });
  }

  const { title, description } = req.body;
  const newTodo = {
    id: faker.string.uuid(),
    userId: user.id,
    title,
    description,
  };

  todos.push(newTodo);
  res.status(201).json({ message: "Todo added successfully", data: newTodo });
});

• Todos Component

The Todos component displays user-specific todos and allows adding and deleting todos.

// Update a todo
app.put("/todos/:id", (req, res) => {
  const ssotoken = req.cookies.sso_token;
  const user = getUser(ssotoken);
  if (!user) {
    return res.status(401).json({ message: "Unauthorized" });
  }

  const { id } = req.params;
  const { title, description } = req.body;
  const index = todos.findIndex((todo) => todo.id === id);

  if (index !== -1) {
    todos[index] = {
      ...todos[index],
      title,
      description,
    };
    res.json({
      message: "Todo updated successfully",
      data: todos[index],
    });
  } else {
    res.status(404).json({ message: "Todo not found" });
  }
});

3. External Application (React)

The external application acts as another Service Provider (SP) that consumes the API and manages user interactions.

Below is a structured breakdown of the provided code, explaining the purpose of each section for your followers. This serves as a robust example of how to implement SSO functionality in the external application layer.

• App Component

The App component manages user authentication and redirects based on login status.

// Delete a todo
app.delete("/todos/:id", (req, res) => {
  const ssoToken = req.cookies.sso_token;
  const user = getUser(ssoToken);
  if (!user) {
    return res.status(401).json({ message: "Unauthorized" });
  }

  const { id } = req.params;
  const index = todos.findIndex((todo) => todo.id === id);

  if (index !== -1) {
    todos = todos.filter((todo) => todo.id !== id);
    res.json({ message: "Todo deleted successfully" });
  } else {
    res.status(404).json({ message: "Todo not found" });
  }
});

• Todos Component

The Todos component displays user-specific todos.

import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
import {
  Navigate,
  Route,
  Routes,
  useNavigate,
  useSearchParams,
} from "react-router-dom";
import Todos from "./components/Todos";
import Login from "./components/Login";
import { toast } from "react-toastify";
import api from "./api";

function App() {
  const [isLoggedIn, setIsLoggedIn] = useState(false);
  const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
  const navigate = useNavigate();

  useEffect(() => {
    const verifyLogin = async () => {
      const returnUrl = searchParams.get("returnUrl");
      try {
        const response = await api.get("/verify", {
          withCredentials: true,
        });
        if (response.data.authenticated) {
          setIsLoggedIn(true);
          toast.success("You are logged in.");
          navigate("/todos");
        } else {
          setIsLoggedIn(false);
          if (!returnUrl) {
            toast.error("You are not logged in.");
          }
        }
      } catch (error) {
        setIsLoggedIn(false);
        console.error("Verification failed:", error);
      }
    };

    verifyLogin();

    const handleVisibilityChange = () => {
      if (document.visibilityState === "visible") {
        verifyLogin();
      }
    };

    document.addEventListener("visibilitychange", handleVisibilityChange);

    return () => {
      document.removeEventListener("visibilitychange", handleVisibilityChange);
    };
  }, [navigate, searchParams]);

  return (
    <div className="container p-4 mx-auto">
      <Routes>
        <Route path="/" element={<Login />} />
        <Route
          path="/todos"
          element={isLoggedIn ? <Todos /> : <Navigate to={"/"} />}
        />
      </Routes>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

Conclusion

Single Sign-On (SSO) simplifies user authentication and access management across multiple applications, enhancing user experience, security, and operational efficiency. By centralizing authentication and leveraging secure token-based mechanisms, organizations can streamline user access, reduce password-related risks, and improve compliance and auditing capabilities.

While SSO offers numerous benefits, it also presents challenges such as single points of failure, complex implementation requirements, security risks, and potential vendor lock-in. Organizations must carefully plan and implement SSO solutions to mitigate these risks and maximize the benefits of centralized authentication.

By following best practices, leveraging established protocols, and choosing open standards, organizations can successfully implement SSO to enhance user experience, security, and operational efficiency across their applications and systems.

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