SAML Single Sign-On into Joomla using IdentityServer4

Overview

miniOrange Joomla SAML SP SSO plugin helps you to integrate your Joomla site to IdentityServer4 using SAML 2.0 protocol. Our user-friendly plugin simplifies the process of setting up Single Sign-on (SSO) with IdentityServer4 in Joomla, ensuring a secure login experience. This enables users to access various Joomla sites effortlessly using their IdentityServer4 IDP credentials.

Our plugin is designed to be compatible with Joomla 3, 4 as well as 5 and works seamlessly with all SAML 2.0 compliant Identity Providers. For a detailed overview of the comprehensive features offered by the Joomla SAML SP plugin. Below, we provide a step-by-step guide on configuring SAML SSO login between your Joomla site and IdentityServer4, with IdentityServer4 serving as the Identity Provider (IDP) and Joomla as the Service Provider (SP).

Download Plugin

Pricing Plans

Free Trial

Configuration Steps

In this setup, IdentityServer4 serves as the repository for storing users i.e. it will act as the IDP while Joomla is where users will log in using their credentials from IdentityServer4 where Joomla SAML SP SSO Plugin will be installed.

Step 1: Install Joomla SAML SP Plugin

Login into your Joomla site’s Administrator console.
From left toggle menu, click on System, then under Install section click on Extensions.
Now click on Or Browse for file button to locate and install the plugin file downloaded earlier.

Installation of plugin is successful. Now click on Get Started!

Go to the Service Provider Metadata tab and scroll down to copy the SP-EntityID and the ACS URL.

Step 2: Configure IdentityServer4 as IDP (Identity Provider)

Note: To add SAML IDP functionality you would require modifications in the Startup.cs file.

In the ConfigureServices method, your call to AddIdentityServer needs to be updated with the following code:


                    services.AddIdentityServer()

                // the rest of registrations (clients, resources, users, etc)

                  .AddSigningCredential(new X509Certificate2(/*your cert*/))

                  .AddSamlPlugin(options => {
                        options.Licensee = "/*your license key org name*/";

                        options.LicenseKey = "/*your license key*/";

                })

                .AddInMemoryServiceProviders(new List());

In the configure method, the call to UseIdentityServer needs to be extended with following code:


            app.UseIdentityServer()

              .UseIdentityServerSamlPlugin();

miniorange img Configure IdentityServer4 as Service Provider

In the Config.cs file create a Client entry.


                    new Client {

                   ClientId = "http://localhost:5001/saml",

                   ClientName = "RSK SAML2P Test Client",

                   ProtocolType = IdentityServerConstants.ProtocolTypes.Saml2p,

                   AllowedScopes = { "openid", "profile" }
           }

ClientId Provide entityID from Service Provider Metadata tab
ClientName Provide Service Provider name
ProtocolType IdentityServerConstants.ProtocolTypes.Saml2p
AllowedScopes openid, profile

In the Config.cs configure SAML Specifics using Service Provider object.


                    new ServiceProvider {

                   EntityId = "http://localhost:5001/saml",

                   SigningCertificates = {new X509Certificate2("TestClient.cer")},/*Enter the certificate name*/

                   AssertionConsumerServices = { new Service(SamlConstants.BindingTypes.HttpPost, "http://localhost:5001/signin-saml") }

           };

Note: The Client ID and Entity ID must be Equal.

You would need the following information from the Service Provider Metadata Here.

EntityId Provide Entity-Id from Service Provider Metadata tab
Signing Certificates Download the Certificate from Service Provider Metadata tab of the plugin and enter Certificate name
Assertion Consumer Service URL Provide the required Binding type followed by the ACS URL: Http Post method: SamlConstants.BindingTypes.HttpPost Http Redirect method: SamlConstants.BindingTypes.HttpRedirect ACS URL: Provide ACS URL from Service Provider Metadata Tab

To configure your Service Provider retrieve IDP Metadata by visiting /saml/metadata URL.
You will get the endpoints required for the Service Provider configuration.

You have successfully configured IdentityServer4 as SAML IDP ( Identity Provider) for achieving IdentityServer4 SSO login into your joomla Site.

Step 3: Configure Joomla as SP (Service Provider)

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

A. By uploading IDP metadata:

In Joomla SAML plugin, go to Service Provider Setup tab, then click on Upload IdP Metadata.

B. By Metadata URL:

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

C. 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 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 URL	SAML Single-Sign-On Endpoint URL in the Federation Metadata document
X.509 Certificate Value	X.509 Certificate in the Federation Metadata document

Step 4: Attribute Mapping - 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, address, phone etc.
While auto registering the users in your Joomla site these attributes will automatically get mapped to your Joomla user details.
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)
Name:	Name of the name attribute from IdP

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

Note: You can see how Attribute Mapping works here.

Step 5: Group Mapping - Premium Feature

Group/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.

Group/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.

Note: You can see how Group/Role Mapping works here.

Step 6: Redirection & SSO Links

Go to Login Settings tab. You can add login Url to Perform SAML SSO in your Joomla site by following the steps below.
There are multiple features available in this tab like Auto redirect the user to Identity Provider and Enable Backend Login for Super Users. To use these features, click on the respective checkboxes.

Click on the Upgrade tab to check out our complete list of features and various licensing plans. OR you can click here to check features and licensing plans.
In case, you are facing some issue or have any question in mind, you can reach out to us by sending us your query through the Support button in the plugin or by sending us a mail at joomlasupport@xecurify.com.

Contents