Seamless User Authentication with Keycloak SSO Implementation
Problem Statement
The MH-CET portal, used by students to register for various examinations, required a Single Sign-On (SSO) solution for seamless user authentication across an expanding suite of applications. These applications, developed by various IT service providers, necessitated a solution that could ensure smooth authentication across diverse technologies and platforms.
Key requirements for the solution included:
- User Convenience: Users should not have to maintain separate credentials for each application, ensuring a seamless experience.
- Low Support Costs: The solution needed to minimize support and licensing costs, with easy availability of the skill set to maintain it.
- Security Risks: Consistent and secure authentication methods across applications.
- Scalability: The solution should support a rapidly growing user base, which had expanded to millions, and handle spikes in concurrent logins during high-demand events.
- Growth Limitations: Adding new applications to the ecosystem should not increase complexity or challenges.
Solution
To address these challenges, HubbleHox implemented Keycloak, an open-source Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution, as the central authentication system for the MH-CET portal. Keycloak provided a comprehensive set of features to meet the platform’s needs, ensuring scalability, security, and user convenience.
Main Features and Benefits
- Centralized Authentication: The Single Sign-On (SSO) feature allowed users to log in once and gain access to multiple applications, improving the overall user experience.
- Protocol Support: Out-of-the-box support for OpenID Connect (OIDC), SAML, and OAuth 2.0 ensured compatibility with both modern and legacy applications.
- Scalability: Keycloak’s distributed architecture enabled horizontal scaling, allowing the system to handle millions of users and millions of concurrent logins during peak events like result declarations, preventing system slowdowns.
- User Federation: Seamlessly integrated with Active Directory and other LDAP directories, enabling centralized management of internal employee accounts.
- Customizable User Experience: Provided the ability to brand login and registration pages, ensuring a consistent and seamless experience across all MH-CET applications.
- Advanced Security: Keycloak supported Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), password policies, and session timeouts, enhancing the security of user accounts.
Business Benefits
- Support Cost Reduction: The solution was fully managed by the lean HubbleHox team, reducing operational support costs.
- Improved Security Posture: Keycloak’s robustness and widespread industry use enhanced the portal’s security measures..
- Scalable Cost Management: By leveraging Keycloak’s open-source platform, licensing fees were eliminated, resulting in an estimated annual savings of $15,000 compared to commercial alternatives..
Conclusion
The implementation of Keycloak as the central authentication system for the MH-CET portal addressed key challenges related to user convenience, security, scalability, and cost. The solution not only improved the user experience but also delivered significant cost savings, enhanced security, and provided the scalability required to support the growing user base and demand spikes during critical events.
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