The Cornerstone of Zero Trust: Single Authentication

The Cornerstone of Zero Trust: Making Authentication Count (Activity 1.8.1 “Single Authentication”)

Before we get deep into the nuances of dynamic policy and risk-based access, Zero Trust demands a solid starting point: knowing who is accessing your resources. This brings us to Zero Trust Activity 1.8.1: Single Authentication.

Now, the name “Single Authentication” might sound simple, perhaps even a step backward for those already thinking about continuous verification. However, within the structured approach of a Zero Trust rollout, this activity establishes a critical baseline: ensuring that every user and Non-Person Entity (NPE) is authenticated at least once per session. Crucially, this authentication must leverage a central, organizational Identity Provider (IdP) – the one established in the “Organizational MFA/IDP” activity – rather than relying on disparate, application-specific user directories.

The core problem this activity solves is the sprawl and security weakness inherent in applications managing their own user accounts and authentication processes. This leads to inconsistent security policies, difficulties in managing the identity lifecycle, and a larger attack surface.

The outcome is straightforward: Authentication implemented across applications per session. This means that when a user or NPE initiates a session to access an application or service, their identity is verified by the central IdP.

The Solution: Centralized Authentication with an Enterprise IdP

The technical solution for achieving Activity 1.8.1 is centered around the strategic deployment and enforcement of an enterprise-wide Identity Provider (IdP). Here’s a breakdown:

Establish a Centralized Identity Provider (IdP) – As mandated by the activity, the organization must have a designated IdP that manages user and NPE identities. This IdP becomes the authoritative source for authentication.

Integrate Applications and Services with the IdP – All applications and services, wherever technically feasible, must be integrated with the central IdP for authentication. This is typically achieved using standard protocols like SAML, OIDC, or OAuth 2.0. This ensures that when a user attempts to access an application, they are redirected to the IdP for authentication

Migrate Away from Application-Specific Authentication – Decommission or reconfigure applications that currently manage their own user directories and authentication mechanisms. Users should no longer authenticate directly to individual applications using separate credentials.

Enforce Authentication Per Session – The integration between the application and the IdP must be configured to require authentication via the IdP at the beginning of each session. This ensures the “at least once per session” requirement is met.

Manage Identities and Authentication Policies Centrally – All user and NPE identities, as well as authentication policies (including minimum requirements like single-factor or the enforcement of MFA as per the parallel activity), are managed within the central IdP.

Okta and Activity 1.8.1: A Strong Fit

Given our previous discussion about recommending Okta as a central IdP, it aligns exceptionally well with the requirements of Zero Trust Activity 1.8.1.

How Okta Satisfies the Need:

Centralized Identity Management – Okta’s core function is to serve as a centralized Identity Provider. It provides a single directory for managing user and NPE identities, directly addressing the requirement to have users “managed by the parallel activity ‘Organizational MFA/IDP’ with the Organizational Identity Provider (IdP).”

Standard Protocol Support for Application Integration – Okta supports a wide range of industry-standard authentication protocols (SAML, OIDC, OAuth 2.0), making it relatively straightforward to integrate a diverse portfolio of cloud and on-premises applications. This enables the crucial step of ensuring “Authentication implemented across applications per session.”

Enforcement of Authentication Policies – Okta’s policy framework allows administrators to define and enforce authentication requirements, including requiring users to authenticate at the start of a session. This ensures the “at least once per session” mandate is met.

Migration from Application-Specific Silos – Okta facilitates the migration away from application-specific authentication by providing a centralized alternative that applications can trust. Its integration capabilities help in consolidating these disparate identity stores.

How Okta paves the way for the Advanced level Continuous Authentication:

Activity 1.8.1 specifically calls for authentication “at least once per session.” While Okta fully satisfies this by enforcing initial authentication, a mature (“Advanced level”) Zero Trust architecture moves towards continuous authentication and adaptive access. This involves re-authenticating users or requiring additional verification during a session based on changes in context or risk.

Okta is well-equipped to handle this through its Adaptive MFA and risk-based policies, which can trigger step-up authentication challenges based on factors like location changes, device posture shifts, or access to sensitive data. So, while Activity 1.8.1 sets the baseline of “single authentication per session,” Okta’s capabilities extend to the more advanced, continuous verification that is the ideal state of Zero Trust. The limitation isn’t in Okta, but rather in the minimum requirement outlined in this specific activity. Okta allows you to go beyond this baseline from the start.

The Technical Buyer’s Perspective:

Implementing Activity 1.8.1 with a platform like Okta provides immediate and significant security benefits. By centralizing authentication, you gain consistent policy enforcement, improve visibility into access events, and drastically reduce the management overhead associated with scattered user accounts. For buyers, this means a streamlined approach to a foundational Zero Trust control, enabling faster progress towards more advanced capabilities like dynamic access. While “single authentication” is the stated goal here, selecting an IdP like Okta that inherently supports adaptive and continuous authentication positions you to mature your Zero Trust posture effectively and efficiently down the line. Don’t just meet the minimum; build a foundation that enables future security advancements.

Pillar: User

Capability: 1.8 Continuous Authentication

Activity: 1.8.1 Single Authentication

Phase: Target Level

Predecessor(s): None

Successor(s):