SAML IdP
Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) is used for exchanging authentication and authorization data between an identity provider (IdP) and a service provider (SP), such as Google Apps, Office 365, and Salesforce. The FortiAuthenticator can be configured as an IdP, providing trust relationship authentication for unauthenticated users trying to access an SP.
Different realms can be selectively enabled while configuring the FortiAuthenticator as the IdP. These realms are available under Authentication > Self-service Portal > Access Control, where they can be enabled, disabled, or group filtered.
SAML authentication works as follows:
- A user tries to access an SP, for example Google, using a browser.
- The SP's web server requests the SAML assertions for its service from the browser.
- Two possibilities:
- The user's browser already has valid SAML assertions, so it sends them to the SP's web server. The web server uses them to grant or deny access to the service. SAML authentication stops here.
- The user's browser doesn't have valid SAML assertions, so the SP's web server redirects the browser to the SAML IdP.
- Two possibilities:
- The user's browser is already authenticated with the IdP, go to step 5.
- The user's browser is not yet authenticated with the IdP, IdP requests and validates the user's credentials. If successful, go to step 5. Otherwise, access is denied.
- IdP provides SAML assertions for the SP's and redirects the user's browser back to the SP's web server. Go back to step 2.
General
To configure general SAML IdP portal settings, go to Authentication > SAML IdP > General and select Enable SAML Identity Provider portal.
Enter the following information:
| Device FQDN | To configure this setting, you must enter a Device FQDN in the System Information widget in the Dashboard. |
| Server address | Enter the IP address, or FQDN, of the FortiAuthenticator device. |
| Username input format |
Select one of the following three username input formats:
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| Realms |
Select Add a realm to add the default local realm to which the users will be associated. Use Groups and Filter to add specific user groups. |
| Login session timeout | Set the user's login session timeout limit between 5 - 1440 minutes (one day). The default is 480 minutes (eight hours). |
| IDP certificate | Select a certificate from the dropdown menu. |
Select OK to apply any changes that you have made.
Service providers
Service Providers can be managed from Authentication > SAML IdP > Service Providers.
To configure a SAML service provider:
- Select Create New.
- Enter the following information:
| SP name | Enter a name for the SP. | |
| IDP prefix |
Enter a prefix for the IDP that will be appended to the end of the IDP URLs. Alternatively, you can select Generate unique prefix to generate a random 16 digit alphanumeric string. |
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| IDP address | To configure the IDP address (and IDP settings below), you must have already configured the server's address under Authentication > SAML IdP > General. | |
| IDP entity id |
Configure the IDP's entity ID, for example:
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| IDP single sign-on URL |
Configure the IDP's login URL, for example:
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| IDP single logout URL |
Configure the IDP's logout URL, for example:
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| SP entity id | Enter the SP's entity ID. | |
| SP ACS (login) URL | Enter the SP's Assertion Consumer Service (ACS) login URL. | |
| SP SLS (logout) URL | Enter the SP's Single Logout Service (SLS) logout URL. | |
| SAML request must be signed by SP | Enable this option and import the SP certificate for authentication request signing by the SP. | |
| Authentication | ||
| Authentication method |
Select one of the following:
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| Bypass FortiToken authentication when user is from a trusted subnet |
Enable this option if you would like to have certain users bypass FortiToken authentication, so long as they belong to a trusted subnet. Select Configure subnets to be directed to configure trusted subnets (under Authentication > User Account Policies > Trusted Subnets). |
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| Debugging Options | ||
| Do not return to service provider automatically after successful authentication, wait for user input | Enable this option to let users choose where to navigate to once authenticated. | |
| Disable this service provider | Disables the SP. | |
| Assertion Attributes | ||
| Subject NameID |
Select the user attribute that serves as SAML assertion subject NameID. Select from either Username, Email, Remote LDAP user DN, Remote LDAP user objectGUID, Remote SAML Subject NameID, or Remote SAML Custom assertion. If the attribute being selected is not available for a user, Username will be used by default. |
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| Format | Select from Unspecified, Transient, or Persistent. | |
| SAML Attribute |
Select Create New to create a new attribute that will be added to SAML assertion. The following user attributes are available when creating a new assertion attribute:
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Customizable successful login page
The screen that appears for a successful SAML IdP login can be customized under Authentication > Self-service Portal > Replacement Messages, under SAML IdP.
See Replacement messages for more information.