Search Results :

×

Guide to Configure ASP.NET Core SAML SSO using PingFederate as IDP

ASP.NET Core SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) middleware gives the ability to enable SAML Single Sign-On for your ASP.NET core applications. Using Single Sign-On you can use only one password to access your ASP.NET core application and services. Our middleware is compatible with all the SAML compliant Identity providers. Here we will go through a step-by-step guide to configure Single Sign-On (SSO) between ASP.NET Core and PingFederate considering PingFederate as IdP.

Platform Support: The ASP.NET Core SAML middleware supports ASP.NET Core 2.0 and above. It supports all the ASP.NET Core platforms, including Windows, Linux and macOS.


NuGet Packege
.NET CLI

PM> NuGet\Install-Package miniOrange.SAML.SSO


Note: To integrate the miniOrange ASP.NET SAML SSO middleware in your application, you will be required to add the below namespaces, services and middleware in your project, below is a sample implementation for reference.

  using miniOrange.saml;
  using System.Reflection
  var builder=WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

  // Add services to the container.
  builder.Services.AddRazorPages();
  builder.Services.AddminiOrangeServices(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly());

  var app = builder.Build();
        if(!app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
  {
    app.UseExceptionHandler("/Error");
    app.UseHsts();
  }

  app.UseHttpsRedirection();
  app.UseRouting();
  app.UseAuthorization();
  app.MapRazorPages();

  app.UseCookiePolicy();
  app.UseAuthentication();

  #if NET9_0_OR_GREATER
  app.MapStaticAssets();
  #else
  app.UseStaticFiles();
  #endif

  app.UseminiOrangeSAMLSSOMiddleware();
  app.Run();
NuGet Packege
.NET CLI

PM> NuGet\Install-Package miniOrange.SAML.SSO


Note: To integrate the miniOrange ASP.NET SAML SSO middleware in your application, you will be required to add the below namespaces, services and middleware in your project, below here is a sample .

  using miniOrange.saml;
  using System.Reflection;

  public class Startup
  {

    public Startup(IConfiguration configuration)
    {
      Configuration = configuration;
    }
    public IConfiguration Configuration { get; }

    // This method gets called by the runtime. Use this method to add services to the container.
    public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
    {
      services.AddRazorPages();
      services.AddminiOrangeServices(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly());
    }

    // This method gets called by the runtime. Use this method to configure the HTTP request pipeline.
    public void Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IWebHostEnvironment env)
    {
      if (env.IsDevelopment())
      {
        app.UseDeveloperExceptionPage();
      }
      else
      {
        app.UseExceptionHandler("/Error");
        // The default HSTS value is 30 days. You may want to change this for production scenarios, see         https://aka.ms/aspnetcore-hsts.
        app.UseHsts();
      }

      app.UseHttpsRedirection();

      app.UseCookiePolicy();
      app.UseAuthentication();

      #if NET9_0_OR_GREATER
      app.MapStaticAssets();
      #else
      app.UseStaticFiles();
      #endif

      app.UseminiOrangeSAMLSSOMiddleware();

      app.UseRouting();
      app.UseAuthorization();
      app.UseEndpoints(endpoints =>
      {
        endpoints.MapRazorPages();
      });
    }
  }

Step by Step guide for ASP.NET Core SAML SSO using PingFederate as Identity Provider.


  • After integration, open your browser and browse the connector dashboard with the URL below:
 http(s)<your-dotnet-application-base-url>?ssoaction=config
  • If the registration page or login page pops up, you have successfully added the miniOrange SAML SSO middleware in your application.
ASP.NET Core- registeration page

  • Register or log in with your account by clicking the Register button to configure the middleware.
  • After successful registration, you will receive a trial license key on your registered email address.
  • To activate the middleware, you can either:
    • Enter the license key received via email in the provided input field.

    OR

    • Upload the license file that you downloaded by clicking on the Click Here button.
ASP.NET Middleware Verify Trial License

  • Then, check the box "I have read the above conditions and I want to activate the middleware", and click the Activate License button.
ASP.NET Middleware Activate License

There are two ways detailed below with which you can get the SAML SP metadata to configure onto your Identity Provider end.

A] Using SAML metadata URL or metadata file

  • In the Plugin Settings menu, look for Service Provider Settings. Under that, you can find the metadata URL as well as the option to download the SAML metadata.
  • Copy metadata URL or download the metadata file to configure the same on your identity provider end.
  • You may refer to the screenshot below:
ASP.NET Core- Service Provider Metadata

B] Uploading metadata manually

  • From the Service Provider Settings section, you can manually copy the service provider metadata like SP Entity ID, ACS URL, Single Logout URL and share it with your identity provider for configuration.
  • You may refer to the screenshot below:
ASP.NET Core- enter sp data manually
  • Login to your Ping Federate User Admin dashboard.
  • Click on the Identity Provider in the left navigation menu.
  • Under SP CONNECTION, click on Create New button.
Ping Federate User Admin dashboard

  • Select the Browser SSO Profiles connection template on the Connection Type tab and click Next.
Browser SSO Profiles

  • Select Browser SSO on the Connection Options tab and click Next.
PingFederate - Connection Options

  • Select File as the method for importing metadata and click Choose file to choose the miniOrange SSO plugin’s metadata on the Import Metadata tab. Click Next.
PingFederate - Import Metadata

  • Review the information on the Metadata Summary tab and click Next.
  • In the General Info tab ensure that the Service Provider’s Entity ID, Connection Name, and Base URL fields pre-populate based on the metadata. Click Next.
  • Navigate to the Browser SSO tab and click on the Configure Browser SSO. You will be redirected to Browser SSO Setup wizard.
    • Select the IdP-Initiated SSO and SP-Initiated SSO options on the SAML Profiles tab and click Next.
    SP and IDP initiated SSO

    • Enter your desired assertion validity time from on the Assertion Lifetime tab and click Next. By default, it is configured 5 minutes for both.
    • Navigate to the Assertion Creation and click on the Configure Assertion Creation. You will be redirected to the assertion creation setup wizard.
      • In the Identity Mapping tab select STANDARD and click Next.
      • Select a Subject Name Format for the SAML_SUBJECT on the Attribute Contract tab and click Next.
      • Click Map New Adapter Instance on the Authentication Source Mapping.
      Map New Adapter Instance

      • Select an Adapter Instance and click Next. The adapter must include the user’s email address.
      Adapter Instance

      • Select the Use only the adapter contract values in the SAML assertion option on the Mapping Method tab and click Next.
      • Select your adapter instance as the Source and the email as the Value on the Attribute Contract Fulfilment tab and click Next.
      Attribute Contract Fulfilment

      • (Optional) Select any authorization conditions you would like on the Issuance Criteria tab and click Next.
      • Click Done on the Summary.
      • Click Next on the Authentication Source Mapping tab.
      • Click Done on the Summary tab.
      • Click Next on the Assertion Creation.
  • Navigate to the Protocol Settings tab of the Browser SSO wizard and click on the Configure Protocol settings.
    • Select POST for Binding and specify the single sign-on endpoint URL in the Endpoint URL field on the Assertion Consumer Service URL Click Next.
    Assertion Consumer Service URL

    • Select POST on the Allowable SAML Bindings tab and click Next.
    • Select your desired signature policies for assertions on the Signature Policy tab and click Next.
    Signature Policy

    • Select your desired encryption policy for assertions on the Encryption Policy tab and click Next.
    • Click Done on the Protocol Settings Summary tab.
  • Navigate to the Credentials and click on the Configure Credentials. You will be redirected to the Credentials setup wizard.
    • Select the Signing Certificate to use with the Single Sign-On service and select Include the certificate in the signature element in the Digital Signature Settings tab. Click Done.
    Digital Signature Settings

    • Click Done on the Summary.
    • Click Next on the Credentials.
  • Select Active for the Connection Status on the Activation & Summary tab and click Save.
  • Now, navigate to the Ping Federate User Admin dashboardè Identity Provider.
  • Click Manage All under SP Connections.
  • Click Export Metadata for the desired service provider connection.
  • Click Export on the Export & Summary tab and click Done.

  • Click on the Add new IDP button to configure a new Identity Provider.
ASP.NET Core SAML SSO using Azure AD as IDP - Add New IDP

  • Under the Plugin Settings tab, select PingFederate as your identity provider from the list shown.
ASP.NET Core SAML SSO using PingFederate as IDP - Add New IDP

There are two ways detailed below with which you can configure your SAML Identity Provider metadata in the middleware.

A] Upload metadata using the Upload IDP Metadata button:

  • If your identity provider has provided you with the metadata URL or metadata file (.xml format only), then you can simply configure the identity provider metadata in the middleware using the Upload IDP Metadata option.
  • Copy metadata URL or download the metadata file to configure the same on your identity provider end.
  • You may refer to the screenshot below:
ASP.NET Core- Upload IDP Metadata

  • You can choose any one of the options according to the metadata format you have available.

B] Configure the identity provider metadata manually:

  • After configuring your Identity Provider, it will provide you with IDP Entity ID, IDP Single Sign On URL and SAML X509 Certificate fields respectively.
  • Click Save to save your IDP details.
ASP.NET Core- Configure IDP Manually
  • After uploading the metadata details, navigate to the Identity Provider Settings section. Hover over the Select Actions dropdown and click on Test Configuration.
ASP.NET Core- Test Configuration

  • The screenshot below shows a successful result. Click on SSO Integration to further continue with the SSO Integration.
ASP.NET Core- Test Configuration

  • If you are experiencing any error on the middleware end you’ll be shown with the window similar to below.
ASP.NET Core- Test Configuration Error

  • To troubleshoot the error you can follow the below steps:
  • Under Troubleshoot tab, enable the toggle to receive the plugin logs.
ASP.NET Core- TroubleShoot

  • Once enabled, you will be able to retrieve plugin logs by navigating to Plugin Settings tab and clicking on Test Configuration.
  • Download the log file from the Troubleshoot tab to see what went wrong.
  • After testing the configuration, Map your application attributes with the Identity Provider (IdP) attributes.
  • From the left-hand menu of the miniOrange ASP.NET SAML SSO Middleware, click on Attribute/Role Mapping tab as shown in the image.
ASP.NET Core- Attribute Mapping

  • If you want to pass additional attributes from your IdP, enter the Attribute Name and corresponding Attribute Value under Custom Attribute Mapping.
  • Note: All the mapped attributes will be stored in the session so that you can access them in your application.
  • Once the attributes are mapped, click Save Attribute Mapping to apply changes.
ASP.NET Core- Attribute Mapping
  • This steps allow you to retrieve the SSO user information in your application in the form of user claims.
  • You can also look the setup tour to understand how the SSO integration would work in your asp.net middleware application.
  • Just copy-paste that code snippet wherever you want to access the user attributes.
ASP.NET Core- Integration Code

  • Note: With the trial middleware the authenticated user details are stored in user claims using the default .NET Cookie Authentication. Support of setting user claims using Header-based, Session-based, JWT-based authentication is available in our premium plugin.
  • You can also copy the integration code from below:

  string name="";
  string claimtype="";
  string claimvalue="";
  if(User.Identity.IsAuthenticated)
  {
    foreach(var claim in User.claims)
    {
      claimtype = claim.Type;
      claimvalue = claim.Value;
    }
    //retrive custom attributes(for eg. Retrieve Mapped 'mobileNumber' attribute of your IDP)
    var identity = (ClaimsIdentity)User.Identity;
    IEnumerable claims = identity.claims;
    string mobileNumber = identity.FindFirst("mobileNumber")?.Value;
  }

  • Hover on Select Actions and click on Copy SSO Link.
ASP.NET Core Copy SSO Link

  • Use the following URL as a link in the application from where you want to perform SSO:
  https://<asp.net-middleware-base-url>/?ssoaction=login
  • For example, you can use it as:
  <a href="https://<asp.net-middleware-base-url>/?ssoaction=logout">Log out</a>
  • Use the following URL as a link to your application from where you want to perform SLO:
  https://<asp.net-middleware-base-url>/?ssoaction=logout
  • For example, you can use it as:
  <a href="https://<asp.net-middleware-base-url>/?ssoaction=logout">Log out</a>

Please reach out to us at aspnetsupport@xecurify.com, and our team will assist you with setting up the ASP.NET Core SAML SSO. Our team will help you to select the best suitable solution/plan as per your requirement.

ADFS_sso ×
Hello there!

Need Help? We are right here!

support