Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)
AD FS is a component of Microsoft Windows Server that enables Web Single Sign-On (SSO). It allows users to authenticate once and gain access to multiple applications—even across different organizational boundaries—without needing to log in multiple times.
Key Features:
- Web Single Sign-On (SSO):
Enables users to access multiple web applications after a single login. - Federated Identity:
AD FS securely shares digital identity and entitlement rights (i.e., access permissions) between trusted partners, such as different companies or domains. - Cross-Organizational Access:
Useful in B2B (Business-to-Business) or hybrid cloud scenarios, where users from one organization need access to resources in another. - Standards-Based Protocols:
AD FS supports the WS-Federation Passive Requestor Profile, which is a specification used for browser-based SSO. It also supports:- SAML (Security Assertion Mark up Language)
- OAuth
- OpenID Connect