ASP.NET SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) using VMWare as IDP

ASP.NET SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) module gives the ability to enable SAML Single Sign-On for your ASP.NET applications. Using Single Sign-On you need only one password to access your ASP.NET application and services. Our module is compatible with all SAML compliant identity providers. Here, we will go through a step-by-step guide to configure Single Sign-On (SSO) between ASP.NET and VMWare, considering VMWare as IdP. To know more about the other features we provide, click here.

Pre-requisites: Download and Installation

• After integration, open your browser and browse the connector dashboard with the URL below:
  https://<your-application-base-url>/?ssoaction=config
• If the registration page or login page pops up, you have successfully added the miniOrange SAML SSO connector to your application.

• Register or log in with your account by clicking the Register button to configure the module.

Steps to configure ASP.NET SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) using VMWare as IDP

1. Configure VMWare as identity provider

• You need to send your SP metadata to your identity provider. For SP metadata, use the SP metadata URL or download the SP metadata as a .xml file and upload it at your IdP end. You can find both these options under the Service Provider Settings tab.

• Alternatively, you can manually add the SP Entity ID and ACS URL from Service Provider Settings tab in the plugin to your IdP configurations.

• Login to VMware Identity Manager portal and navigate to Catalog > Web Apps.

• Click on Settings button.

• In the left tab, click on SAML Metadata and download the Identity Provider Metadata as well as Signing Certificate. Keep this file handy as it will be needed for later configuration of miniOrange ASP.NET SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) module.

• Navigate back to Catalog > Web Apps and click on New.

• Enter the name for your ASP.NET App and click on Next.

• In the Configuration tab, from the Authentication Type dropdown select the SAML 2.0.
• Select the URL/XML as Configuration type.
• Copy and paste the metadata downloaded from the miniOrange ASP.NET SAML SP SSO module into the Configuration page and proceed to the next page.

• Set the Access Policies to the default_access_policy_set. Then click on Next.

• Click on Save & Assign.

• Add the users and under the Deployment Type dropdown, select Automatic and click on Save.

• New Application will be added with the assignment of the selected users.

2. Configure ASP.NET application as service provider (SSO Module)

Note: After installation of the plugin, we need to setup the trust between your ASP.NET application and VMWare. SAML metadata is shared with VMWare so they can update their inbuilt configuration to support Single Sign-On.

2.1: Share SAML Metadata with VMWare

• Click on Add New IDP to configure ASP.NET Single Sign-On (SSO) with VMWare.

• Under Service Provider Settings tab, you can either copy-paste the metadata URL on your IDP side or download the SP metadata as an XML file. Additionally, you have the choice to manually copy and paste Base URL, SP Entity ID, and ACS URL.
• Share SAML metadata with your identity provider.

2.2: Import VMWare SAML metadata

• Select VMWare from the list of identity providers shown below.

There are two ways detailed below with which you can configure your SAML identity provider metadata in the module.

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 module using the Upload IDP Metadata option.
• You may refer to the screenshot below:

• 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.

You have successfully configured your ASP.NET application as a service provider.

3. Testing SAML SSO

• Before testing, please ensure the following:
• The ASP.NET (SP) SAML metadata has been exported to VMWare (IDP).
• Importing the VMWare (IDP) SAML metadata in ASP.NET (SP).
• To test whether the SAML configuration you’ve done is correct, hover on Select Actions and click on Test Configuration.

• Note: In the trial version of the plugin, you can only configure and test one identity provider (IDP).
• The screenshot below shows a successful result. Click on Done to further continue with the SSO Integration.

• If you are experiencing any error on the module end you’ll be shown with the window similar to below.

• To troubleshoot the error you can follow the below steps:
• Under Troubleshooting tab, enable the toggle to receive the plugin logs.


• Once enabled, you will be able to retrieve plugin logs by navigating to Identity Provider Settings tab and clicking on Test Configuration.
• Download the log file from the Troubleshoot tab to see what went wrong.
• You can share the log file with us at aspnetsupport@xecurify.com and our team will reach out to you to resolve your issue.

4. Integration Code

• This step allows you to specify the sso prefix of the session or claims parameter that will be used to access user attributes in your application.
• If you're still confused about how the integration steps work, take a look at the Setup Tour.

• Select the mode for storing SSO attributes, and you will now see the integration code based on the authentication method you selected and the language your application uses.
• Just copy-paste that code snippet wherever you want to access the user attributes.

• Note: This trial module only supports session-based authentication and User Claims is available in the premium plugin.
• Note: All the mapped attributes will be stored in the session so that you can access them in your application.
• If you want some assistance regarding the integration code, get in touch with us at aspnetsupport@xecurify.com

5. Login Settings

• Hover on Select Actions and click on Copy SSO Link.

• Use the copied link in the application from where you want to perform SSO:
  https://base-url/?ssoaction=login
• For example, you can use it as:
  <a href=”https://base-url/?ssoaction=login”>Log in</a>

6. Logout Settings

• Use the following URL as a link in your application from where you want to perform SLO: https://<your-application-base-url>/?ssoaction=logout
• For example you can use it as: <a href="https://<your-application-base-url>/?ssoaction=logout">Logout</a>

You can even configure the DNN SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) module with any identity provider such as ADFS, Azure AD, Bitium, Centrify, G Suite, JBoss Keycloak, Okta, OneLogin, Salesforce, AWS Cognito, OpenAM, Oracle, PingFederate, PingOne, RSA SecureID, Shibboleth-2, Shibboleth-3, SimpleSAML, WSO2 or even with your own custom identity provider. To check other identity providers, click here.

Additional Resources

• ASP.NET OAuth Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Web3 login for ASP.NET Applications
• DNN SAML Single Sign-On (SSO)
• DNN REST API Authentication
• nopCommerce SAML Single Sign-On (SSO)
• nopCommerce OAuth Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Umbraco SAML Single Sign-On (SSO)