Overview

This use case shows how businesses use the miniOrange Joomla LDAP Extension for internal LDAP integration to keep full control over user data and authentication. By connecting Joomla directly with their existing LDAP server, all login requests stay within their own infrastructure, ensuring strong data security and compliance. The approach reduces dependency on third-party identity providers, cuts recurring costs, and gives businesses a future-proof, vendor-independent authentication system.

In practical terms, this means IT teams can plug Joomla into an on-prem LDAP directory (for example, the one already backing internal apps), so users sign in with the same credentials they use at work. No external hops, no copies of passwords elsewhere, and fewer moving parts for admins to manage. The result is a simple, predictable sign-in flow that meets internal security standards without adding another subscription to the budget.

Prerequisites

This use case has been seamlessly implemented using the plugins listed below. To achieve this, you will need to install these plugins on your Joomla instance.

miniOrange LDAP Extension for Joomla

This is the main plugin that connects Joomla to your LDAP system.

Download Extension

Import-Export Addon for Joomla LDAP Extension

This add-on helps you import users from your AD directories into Joomla, making user migration smoother.

Download Extension

The Challenge

The challenge was to set up a secure and independent authentication system in Joomla. Organizations wanted to avoid sharing user credentials with third-party providers (like Okta or Azure AD), cut down on ongoing subscription costs, and keep long-term control of their authentication setup without relying on a single vendor.

Our Solution

The miniOrange Joomla LDAP extension was used to connect Joomla directly with the organization’s in-house LDAP server:

• Secure Authentication: User logins are verified through the internal LDAP server, so credentials never leave the organization. When LDAPS is enabled, the tunnel is encrypted end-to-end inside your perimeter, keeping password exchange private and auditable.
• Data Ownership: Since authentication stays internal, the organization retains full control of user data and sensitive information. User attributes (name, mail, groups) are read directly from the directory you already govern, and nothing is synced to a third-party identity store.
• Cost Savings: No need for third-party SaaS providers for this use case, which removes recurring subscription costs. Licensing is simplified, and budgeting is more predictable because you’re using infrastructure you already run.
• Scalability & Future-Proofing: The setup avoids vendor lock-in and can be adjusted as needs change. If your directory schema evolves or you stand up a secondary LDAP node, you can update connection settings and attribute mappings without re-architecting authentication across Joomla.

Result

By adopting an in-house LDAP integration using the miniOrange Joomla LDAP Extension, organizations gained:

• Full Data Security & Ownership: Credentials always stay within their own infrastructure, with authentication handled by the internal directory they already trust.
• Cost Efficiency: No recurring SaaS subscription fees for this authentication path.
• Future-Proofing: Free from vendor lock-in (Okta, Azure AD, etc.), with flexibility to evolve attributes, groups, and policies over time.

Overall, this empowers organizations with a secure, self-reliant, and cost-effective authentication system, streamlining user access management while minimizing administrative overhead.

Additional Resources

1. Joomla LDAP Authentication
2. Password Synchronization and User Migration using Joomla LDAP
3. LDAP/AD Login for Joomla: A Comprehensive Guide