Here is a breakdown of the architecture for the Single Sign-On (SSO) and centralized authorization system for HolidayLandmark.com.

This architecture is designed to be a decoupled, centralized identity management system. It separates the responsibility of user authentication and authorization from your individual applications, which simplifies management, enhances security, and provides a seamless experience for your users.

Core Architectural Components

The architecture consists of three main parts:

1. Identity Provider (IdP): This is the central hub of your authentication system. It handles all user logins, manages user identities (usernames, passwords, profiles), and issues security tokens. For your HolidayLandmark.com ecosystem, this would be a single, dedicated service.
2. Service Providers (SPs): These are your individual applications that need to authenticate users. In your case, these are:
   • HolidayLandmark.com (Laravel Dashboard)
   • HolidayLandmark.com/trips (Eventmie Laravel)
   • HolidayLandmark.com/events (Eventmie Laravel)
   • HolidayLandmark.com/blogs (WordPress)
   • HolidayLandmark.com/forum (Flarum Laravel)
3. User’s Browser: The user’s web browser acts as the intermediary, passing messages and redirection requests between the Service Providers and the Identity Provider.

The Authentication and Authorization Flow

Here is a step-by-step walkthrough of how a user logs in and accesses your applications within this architecture:

1. Initial Access Attempt:
   • A user navigates to one of your applications, for instance, HolidayLandmark.com/trips.
   • The “Trips” application checks if the user is already logged in. Since it’s their first visit, they are not authenticated.
2. Redirection to the Identity Provider (IdP):
   • The “Trips” application (the SP) does not show its own login form. Instead, it redirects the user’s browser to your central Identity Provider (IdP).
   • This redirection includes a request for authentication, identifying that the request originated from the “Trips” application.
3. User Authentication at the IdP:
   • The user sees the IdP’s login page and enters their single set of credentials (e.g., email and password).
   • The IdP verifies these credentials against its central user database.
   • The IdP also performs any necessary multi-factor authentication (MFA) at this stage.
4. Token Generation and Redirection Back to the SP:
   • Upon successful authentication, the IdP generates a JSON Web Token (JWT). This token is a secure, digitally signed package of information that includes:
     • User identity (e.g., user ID, email).
     • Authorization information (e.g., user roles like Admin, Editor from your RBAC setup).
     • An expiration time for the session.
   • The IdP then redirects the user’s browser back to the “Trips” application, including this JWT in the response.
5. SP Validates the Token and Grants Access:
   • The “Trips” application receives the JWT. It validates the token’s digital signature to ensure it came from the trusted IdP and has not been tampered with.
   • Once validated, the application establishes a session for the user and grants them access. The application can now use the roles inside the token to enforce permissions (e.g., allowing an Admin to access a special dashboard).
6. Seamless Access to Other Applications:
   • Now, the user decides to visit the blog at HolidayLandmark.com/blogs.
   • The WordPress blog (another SP) will also redirect the user to the IdP for authentication.
   • However, the IdP recognizes that the user already has an active session and is authenticated.
   • Instead of asking for a password again, the IdP immediately generates a new JWT for the WordPress application and sends the user back.
   • The WordPress application validates this new token and logs the user in instantly, without any user interaction.

This entire process happens seamlessly in the background, providing the user with a true single sign-on experience across all of your web properties

Abhishek Singh

I’m Abhishek, a DevOps, SRE, DevSecOps, and Cloud expert with a passion for sharing knowledge and real-world experiences. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Cotocus and continue to contribute to multiple platforms where I share insights across different domains:

• DevOps School – Tech blogs and tutorials

• Holiday Landmark – Travel stories and guides

• Stocks Mantra – Stock market strategies and tips

• My Medic Plus – Health and fitness guidance

• TrueReviewNow – Honest product reviews

• Wizbrand – SEO and digital tools for businesses

I’m also exploring the fascinating world of Quantum Computing.