Identity federation is an identity and access management model that enables distinct organizations to securely share identification and authentication information with each other. It aims to simplify and secure user access to different systems and services, while preserving their privacy and ensuring appropriate control over the resources they can access.
Identity federation is a system or protocol that allows an organization to offload authentication by entrusting it to a third-party organization.
This model allows multiple organizations to securely share identity information about their users. It is based on the principle of mutual trust between the participating organizations:
When a user wishes to access a service from a partner organization, they are directed to the Identity Provider for authentication.
The IdP verifies the user's identity using the credentials provided.
Once authentication is successful, the IdP transmits the necessary information to the Service Provider (SP) to authorize access to the requested services, without the user having to provide their credentials again.
Identity federation facilitates the secure sharing of identity information and provides a simplified user experience when accessing the services of federation partners.