What is an Identity Provider (IdP)?
An Identity Provider (IdP) is a system or service that authenticates user identities and issues trusted credentials or assertions to other systems, allowing access without the need for local credentials. IdPs are a foundational component of Identity and Access Management (IAM) architectures, enabling Single Sign-On (SSO), federated identity, and centralized access control. Common IdPs include Active Directory, LDAP directories, SAML-based systems, and modern cloud IdPs like Okta, Ping Identity, and Azure AD. Once a user is authenticated by the IdP, the trusted session is shared with target applications, eliminating the need to maintain separate credentials across systems.
Why is an Identity Provider Important?
Identity Providers enable organizations to streamline and centralize authentication across multiple applications, domains, or environments, greatly improving both security and user experience. By using a single source of truth for identity, IdPs reduce the risks of credential sprawl, password reuse, and inconsistent access policies.
In critical infrastructure environments, where external contractors, OEMs, and field personnel often need access to OT and IT systems, Identity Providers allow organizations to authenticate users based on their home organization’s credentials. This supports federated access, identity governance, and regulatory compliance with standards like NERC CIP, IEC 62443, and TSA SD02E, which require robust user verification and access tracking.
Identity Providers also support zero trust security models, where trust is never implicit and identity verification is required at every access point. They are essential to scalable identity architectures and cloud/OT hybrid security strategies.
How Does Xona Help with Identity Providers?
Xona seamlessly integrates with a wide range of enterprise Identity Providers, including Active Directory, SAML, LDAP, and cloud-based IdPs. This integration allows organizations to leverage their existing identity infrastructure to authenticate users whether internal employees, remote vendors, or third-party technicians, before granting access to critical systems.
Once authenticated by the IdP, users are subject to Xona’s granular access policies, including role- and time-based controls, credential injection, multi-factor authentication, and session isolation. Xona ensures that the trust established by the IdP is enforced with strict access governance, monitoring, and auditing.
Xona’s IdP-agnostic approach enables flexible, secure access across diverse environments, bridging IT and OT domains while preserving centralized identity control. This empowers organizations to deploy federated and zero trust access strategies without compromising performance, compliance, or usability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary function of an Identity Provider (IdP)?
An Identity Provider authenticates users and issues trusted assertions that other systems use to grant access without requiring additional local credentials.
How does an Identity Provider support Single Sign-On (SSO)?
SSO allows users to log in once through the IdP and gain access to multiple connected applications or systems without re-authenticating each time.
What protocols are commonly used by Identity Providers for federation and authentication?
Why are Identity Providers critical for managing third-party and contractor access?
Do cybersecurity frameworks require integration with Identity Providers?
How does Xona integrate with Identity Providers to secure access?
Xona authenticates users via enterprise IdPs and enforces additional access controls including RBAC, TBAC, and credential injection within a disconnected architecture to protect critical OT systems.
