sso single sign on explained

Understanding SSO: Why single sign-on is critical for Enterprise security

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Your organisation manages dozens of tools. Each requires passwords, permissions, and policies. But what happens when an employee leaves? Here’s why Single Sign-On (SSO) has become the standard for managing secure access at scale.

The access management challenge no one talks about

Every Monday morning, IT teams worldwide face the same scenario: new starters need access to analytics, someone forgot their password, and that contractor from last quarter still has admin rights nobody remembered to revoke.

Consider this: The average employee has access to 11 different business applications. Each represents a potential security gap. Analytics platforms, containing sensitive business and user data, present particular risks when access isn’t properly controlled.

What exactly is SSO?

Single Sign-On (SSO) is an authentication method that allows users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials. Instead of managing separate usernames and passwords for each tool, employees authenticate once through a central identity provider.

Think of it this way: One password. One place to manage everything. This is the difference between carrying 20 different keys versus having one secure access card that opens all the doors you’re authorised to enter.

How SSO works in practice

  1. User tries to access an application (like Matomo Analytics)
  2. Application redirects to identity provider (such as Okta, Azure AD, or Google Workspace)
  3. User authenticates once with their corporate credentials
  4. Identity provider confirms authorisation and grants access
  5. User accesses the application without additional passwords

This process happens in seconds and, once configured, becomes invisible to the end user.

sso explanation

The real cost of not having SSO

Security vulnerabilities

According to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, 68% of breaches involve the human element. Without SSO, organisations face multiple risks:

Security vulnerabilitiesCompliance risksFinancial impact
Orphaned accounts: Former employees retaining access
Password sprawl: Weak or reused passwords across systems
Shadow IT: Employees creating unauthorised accounts
Audit gaps: No centralised record of who accessed what
GDPR: Requires « appropriate technical measures » for data protection
ISO 27001: Mandates identity management and access control
SOC 2: Demands logical access controls and regular reviews
Our analysis of 500 businesses revealed the hidden costs of manual access management: hours weekly spent on password resets and account management, average time to detect unauthorised access and the cost of access-related security incidents

Without SSO, meeting these requirements becomes exponentially more difficult and expensive.

SSO isn’t just another IT checkbox

Single Sign-On might sound technical, but it’s actually about something simple: controlling WHO sees your data, when, and how.

With SSO, your team logs into Matomo using the same secure credentials they use for other business tools: One password. One place to manage everything.

Your team can signs in through your existing identity provider (Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace, RSA, Ping Identity, ADFS, Shibboleth,…), meaning:

  • Time saved – no more manual user management, or “forgot password” tickets
  • Centralised access control – instantly grant or revoke access from one place
  • Reduced breach risk – eliminate weak or forgotten passwords
  • Audit-ready compliance – meet GDPR, ISO 27001 and internal security standards

Common SSO misconceptions debunked

« SSO is only for large Enterprises »

Reality: Organisations with as few as 30 employees benefit from SSO. The complexity of access management grows exponentially, not linearly.

« It’s too complex to implement »

Reality: Modern SSO integration typically takes 2-3 hours of technical configuration. Most identity providers offer step-by-step guides.

« It will slow down our workflow »

Reality: SSO actually accelerates workflows by eliminating password-related interruptions. Users save an average of 5 minutes daily.

« We can’t afford it »

Reality: Calculate your current costs: (hours spent on access management × hourly rate) + (risk of security incident × probability). SSO often pays for itself within 3-4 months.

Industry-specific considerations

Financial services and DORA

The EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act requires « appropriate access controls » for all data systems. SSO satisfies this requirement comprehensively.

Public sector and sovereignty

Government agencies often require data sovereignty and strict access controls. SSO enables compliance whilst maintaining operational efficiency.

E-commerce and PCI DSS

Payment Card Industry standards mandate unique user IDs and regular access reviews. SSO automates both requirements.

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Your SSO readiness checklist

Rate your organisation (1-5) on each criterion:

  • We maintain accurate records of all system access
  • We can revoke access within 15 minutes
  • We enforce consistent password policies
  • We conduct regular access audits
  • We have documented offboarding procedures

Scoring:

  • 20-25: Ready for Enterprise-grade SSO
  • 15-19: SSO would significantly improve security
  • 10-14: Critical gaps requiring immediate attention
  • Below 10: High risk, prioritise access management immediately

If your score is low, don’t worry. You can already take steps to improve your security in under two hours.

Taking action: Your next steps

Implementing Single Sign-On (SSO) isn’t just an IT upgrade, it’s a step towards stronger data governance. Here’s how to prepare your team:

  1. Start with an access audit: Review who currently has access to your analytics tools. You’ll often find inactive accounts or inconsistent permissions that increase security risks.
  2. Pick the right identity provider: Match your setup to your existing tools:
    • Okta (for flexible, growing teams)
    • Azure Active Directory (for Microsoft-based environments)
    • OneLogin (for multi-cloud organisations)
    • Or others like Auth0, ADFS, Keycloak, Salesforce, AWS SSO, Forgerock, Oracle, SecureAuth,…
  3. Define who sees what: Clarify access levels by role: who needs to view data, edit settings, or manage users. Make sure access can be revoked quickly when people leave the company.
  4. Plan a smooth rollout: Start small – test with one department before rolling out company-wide. Provide short training sessions so everyone understands how SSO works and why it matters.
  5. Review and improve: Once SSO is live, keep good habits: run quarterly access reviews, train new managers, and adjust policies as your team evolves.

Even for smaller teams, planning SSO early saves time later.

How Matomo supports Enterprise access management

For organisations requiring Enterprise-grade security, Matomo offers native SSO integration through our Enterprise plan. This includes:

  • SAML 2.0 support for all major identity providers
  • Group-based permissions mapping
  • Comprehensive audit logging
  • Dedicated implementation support

Most customers complete implementation within 48 hours, immediately eliminating password-related security risks whilst maintaining the privacy-first analytics Matomo is known for.

Security is not optional

In an era where data breaches make headlines daily and regulations grow stricter annually, proper access management isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. SSO represents the minimum viable security for any organisation serious about protecting their analytics data.

The question isn’t whether to implement SSO, but when. And given the rapid ROI and immediate security benefits, the answer for most organisations is: now. With Matomo’s privacy-first approach to enterprise analytics, you can simplify authentication, stay compliant, and keep your data truly yours.

Start your 21-day free trial today and experience analytics built for security and privacy — no credit card required.

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Get started with Matomo

A powerful web analytics platform that gives you and your business 100% data ownership and user privacy protection.

No credit card required.

Free forever.