Which Appian authentication method allows for Single Sign-On (SSO)?

The SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) authentication method is specifically designed to facilitate Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities. SAML allows users to authenticate once and gain access to multiple applications without needing to log in to each one separately. This is achieved through the exchange of security assertions between the identity provider (IdP) and the service provider (SP), where the service provider, in this case, would be the Appian application.

When a user tries to access the Appian application, they are redirected to the IdP for authentication. Upon successful authentication, the IdP sends a secure assertion back to the Appian application, confirming the user’s identity. This process not only enhances user experience by reducing the number of login prompts but also improves security by centralizing authentication management at the IdP.

Other authentication methods, while valid in their own contexts, do not provide the same level of SSO capability that SAML does. For instance, Native authentication typically requires users to enter their credentials for each application, and LDAP provides directory services for user authentication but does not inherently include SSO functionality. Basic Auth, similarly, requires users to provide their credentials each time they access the service, lacking SSO capabilities altogether. Thus, SAML stands