SAML Single Sign-On into Joomla using OpenAM | OpenAM SSO | Login using OpenAM

What is SSO ?

Single sign-on (SSO) is an authentication method that enables users to access multiple applications with one-click login and one set of credentials. For example, after users log in to your org, they can automatically access all apps from the App Launcher. When you set up SSO, you configure one system to trust another to authenticate users , eliminating users' need to log in to each system separately. The system that authenticates users is called an Identity provider. The system that trusts the identity provider for authentication is called the Service provider.

SAML allows exchanging of information between Service Provider and Identity provider, SAML is integration between SP and IDP. When a user tries to log in, your identity provider sends SAML assertions containing facts about the user to Identity Provider. Identity Provider receives the assertion, validates it against your Identity Provider configuration, and allows the user to access your org.

OpenAM Single Sign On (SSO) for Joomla miniOrange provides a ready to use solution for Joomla. This solution ensures that you are ready to roll out secure access to your Joomla site using OpenAM within minutes.
Joomla SAML app gives the ability to enable SAML Single Sign-On for Joomla Site. Joomla site is compatible with all SAML Identity Providers (IDP). Here we will go through a guide to configure SAML SSO between Joomla and your Identity Provider. By the end of this guide, users from your Identity Provider should be able to login and register to Joomla site.

Step 1:Setup OpenAM (Open-source Access Management) as Identity Provider

All the information required to configure the OpenAM i.e. plugin’s metadata is given in the Service Provider Info tab of the miniOrange plugin.

Create OpenAM as a Hosted Identity Provider

Note: – You can skip this step and navigate to Configure Remote Service Provider if you have already configured OpenAM hosted IDP.

Login to the OpenAM admin console.
From the REALMS, select realms, under which you want to create hosted IDP. You will be redirected to the Realm overview page.
Click on Create SAMLv2 Providers in the Realm Overview page.
Click on Create Hosted Identity Provider. You will be redirected to the configuration page.
Configure SAML IDP as given below.
- Name: Name of the SAML IDP
- Signing Key: Select the Signing key from the dropdown.
- New Circle of Trust: Provide a name of the groups of IDP and SP that trust each other.
- Attribute Mapping: Configure user profile attributes to be sent to the Service Provider application.
- Click on the Configure button on the top right corner.
- Verify the configuration from the Federation tab of OpenAM.

Configure Remote Service Provider.

Login to the OpenAM admin console.
From the REALMS, select realms, under which you want to configure your application. You will be redirected to the Realm overview page.
Click on Create SAMLv2 Providers.
Click on Register Remote Service Provider. You will be redirected to the configuration page.
Configure the Service Provider as given below.
- Where does the metadata file reside: URL.
- URL of metadata: Configure miniOrange plugin’s SAML Metadata here.
- Circle of Trust: Add to existing.
- Existing Circle of Trust: Select the Circle of Trust (group) in which your hosted IDP is located.
- Attribute Mapping: Configure user profile attributes for mapping.
Click on the Configure button on the top right corner.
Verify the configuration from the Federation tab of OpenAM.
Provide OpenAM SAML Metadata to Service Provider application(miniOrange plugin) and you can download the OpenAM metadata using the URL given below.
[OpenAM ServerURL]/saml2/jsp/exportmetadata.jsp
In case if you have multiple realms and hosted identity Provider configured then use the URL given below.
[OpenAM ServerURL]/saml2/jsp/exportmetadata.jsp?entityid=[IdPentityID]&realm=/realmname

Configuration of Joomla 3
Configuration of Joomla 4

Configuration of Joomla 3

Step 2: Configuring Joomla as Service Provider (SP)

In Joomla SAML plugin, go to Service Provider Setup Tab. There are three ways to configure the plugin:

By Metadata URL :

Click on Upload IDP Metadata.

Joomla Single Sign On SSO SAML SP Upload Metadata

Enter Metadata URL (Copy from IDP app) and click on Fetch Metadata.

Joomla Single Sign On SSO SAML SP Upload Metadata URL

By Uploading Metadata File:

Click on Upload IDP Metadata.
Choose metadata file and click on Upload.

Joomla Single Sign On SSO SAML SP Upload Metadata file

Manual Configuration :

Copy SAML Entity ID, SAML Single-Sign-On Endpoint URL and x.509 certificate from Federation Metadata document and paste it in IdP Entity ID or Issuer, Single Sign-on Service URL, x.509 Certificate fields respectively in the plugin.

IdP Entity ID or Issuer	SAML Entity ID in the Federation Metadata document
Single Sign-On Service URL	SAML Single-Sign-On Endpoint URL in the Federation Metadata document
X.509 Certificate	x.509 Certificate in the Federation Metadata document

Add a button on your site login page with the following URL:

Joomla Single Sign On SSO SAML SP Signin Settings

Step 3: Attribute Mapping (It is Optional to fill this). This is Premium feature.

Attributes are user details that are stored in your Identity Provider.
Attribute Mapping helps you to get user attributes from your Identity Provider (IdP) and map them to Joomla user attributes like firstname, lastname etc.
While auto registering the users in your Joomla site these attributes will automatically get mapped to your Joomla user details.

In Joomla SAML plugin, go to Attribute Mapping tab and fill in all the fields.

Username:	Name of the username attribute from IdP (Keep NameID by default)
Email:	Name of the email attribute from IdP (Keep NameID by default)
Group/Role:	Name of the Role attribute from Identity Provider(IdP)

You can check the Test Configuration Results under Service Provider Setup tab to get a better idea of which values to map here.

Step 4: Group Mapping (It is Optional to fill this). This is Premium feature.

Joomla uses a concept of Roles, designed to give the site owner the ability to control what users can and cannot do within the site.
Role mapping helps you to assign specific roles to users of a certain group in your Identity Provider (IdP).
While auto registering, the users are assigned roles based on the group they are mapped to.

Step 5: Redirection & SSO Links.

Go to Login Settings tab. There are multiple features availabe in this tab like Auto redirect the user to Identity Provider and Enable Backed Login for Super Users. To use these features, click on the respective checkboxes.

You have successfully completed your miniOrange SAML 2.0 SP configurations. Still, if you are facing any difficulty please mail us on joomlasupport@xecurify.com .

Configuration of Joomla 4