Introduction
In today’s digital age, managing authentication and access control across multiple platforms is a growing challenge. As an Infrastructure Engineer, I have implemented Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions to streamline and secure access to various applications, including developer platforms like GitHub or SSL VPN at Firewall gateway to access ogranization’s private network. By integrating SSO systems, such as Microsoft’s Entra (formerly Azure AD), organizations can enhance their security while improving user experience by enabling seamless access to GitHub without needing to remember multiple sets of credentials.
In this article, I will cover the theoretical aspects of integrating GitHub with an Entra-based SSO solution. This process ensures that only authorized users can access GitHub repositories, manage workflows, and collaborate with colleagues, all while adhering to best practices in identity management and security.
You may refer my technical implementation side-by-side at GitHub to understand the concepts and approach even better.
Single Sign-On (SSO).
What is Single Sign-On (SSO)?
Single Sign-On (SSO) is an authentication method that allows a user to log in once and gain access to multiple applications or services without needing to re-enter credentials for each one. The core benefit of SSO is that it simplifies the user experience by reducing password fatigue and eliminating the need for multiple logins across platforms.
SSO systems are usually built on standards like OAuth, SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language), or OpenID Connect. These protocols enable a secure exchange of authentication tokens between identity providers (IdPs) and service providers (SPs), such as GitHub, without transmitting sensitive credentials.
What is GitHub Entra SSO Integration?
GitHub Entra SSO Integration refers to the process of enabling authentication into GitHub using Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) as the identity provider. Microsoft Entra is a suite of identity and access management services that includes features such as secure authentication, conditional access, and identity protection. With Entra ID, organizations can centralize user management and define access policies for various resources, including GitHub.
The integration allows GitHub to authenticate users based on their Entra account credentials, simplifying the login process for users who are part of an organization and ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive code repositories.
Benefits of GitHub SSO Integration with Entra
Enhanced Security: With Entra SSO, authentication can be tied to organizational policies, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and conditional access. This ensures that access to GitHub is tightly controlled and more secure.
Centralized Identity Management: Admins can manage user access to GitHub from a central location. This helps ensure that permissions are granted and revoked according to corporate security policies.
Seamless User Experience: Users don’t need to remember multiple passwords or usernames. A single set of credentials allows them to access both corporate applications and GitHub repositories.
Compliance and Auditing: With Entra’s logging and auditing features, organizations can track who accesses their GitHub repositories and ensure compliance with industry standards and internal policies.
How GitHub SSO with Entra Works
1. Entra as the Identity Provider (IdP)
In an SSO scenario, the Identity Provider (IdP) is responsible for authenticating users and issuing tokens that prove a user’s identity. Microsoft Entra ID serves as the IdP in this case. When a user attempts to log in to GitHub, GitHub redirects them to Entra for authentication.
2. GitHub as the Service Provider (SP)
GitHub is the Service Provider (SP) in this context. The SP relies on the IdP (Entra) to authenticate users. Once Entra authenticates the user and issues an identity token, GitHub validates the token and grants access to the appropriate repositories based on the user’s role and permissions.
3. Authentication Flow
The general flow of the authentication process is as follows:
The user attempts to access GitHub, and is redirected to Entra ID for authentication.
Entra ID authenticates the user, often using corporate credentials or multi-factor authentication.
Entra ID returns an authentication token (e.g., SAML assertion or OpenID Connect token) to GitHub.
GitHub validates the token, extracts the user’s identity and permissions, and grants access based on the provided information.
4. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Once the user has been authenticated, GitHub can apply Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to determine what resources the user can access. For example, certain users may have admin privileges on repositories, while others may only have read access. These roles can be defined in Entra and reflected in GitHub, ensuring that access rights are consistent across both platforms.
Key Concepts Behind Entra SSO Integration
Authentication Protocols: SAML, OAuth, and OpenID Connect
The underlying protocols for integrating Entra SSO with GitHub are SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language), OAuth, and OpenID Connect. These protocols enable the secure transfer of authentication and authorization information between the identity provider and the service provider.
SAML is primarily used for enterprise SSO integrations. It’s an XML-based protocol that passes authentication assertions from the IdP to the SP.
OAuth and OpenID Connect are more commonly used for web and API integrations. OpenID Connect is a layer on top of OAuth that allows for federated identity management.
GitHub’s SSO solution supports both SAML and OAuth/OpenID Connect, allowing it to seamlessly integrate with various identity providers, including Entra.
Conditional Access and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
A critical component of Entra’s security features is Conditional Access, which allows organizations to set rules for when and how users can access resources. For example, access to GitHub might only be allowed from certain geographic locations, devices, or after passing multi-factor authentication (MFA).
By enabling MFA within Entra, organizations can enforce an additional layer of security when users log into GitHub, ensuring that even if credentials are compromised, unauthorized access is still prevented.
User Provisioning and De-Provisioning
One of the benefits of integrating Entra with GitHub is the ability to manage user provisioning and de-provisioning. When a user is added to the Entra directory, they can be automatically granted access to GitHub repositories. Similarly, when a user leaves the organization, their access can be revoked in real-time across both Entra and GitHub, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
Implementing GitHub Entra SSO Integration: High-Level Steps
Configure Entra as an Identity Provider: In Entra, create an SSO application for GitHub and configure it with the necessary authentication settings (SAML or OAuth).
Set Up GitHub for SSO: In the GitHub organization’s admin settings, enable SSO authentication and connect it to the Entra Identity Provider.
Define Access Permissions: Use Entra’s RBAC features to define roles and permissions for users who will access GitHub repositories.
Test and Monitor: Before rolling out the SSO integration organization-wide, thoroughly test the integration to ensure proper authentication and access controls. Use Entra’s logging features to monitor and audit access events.
Conclusion
Integrating GitHub with an Entra-based Single Sign-On system provides both security and convenience for organizations. By leveraging the powerful features of Entra ID, such as MFA, conditional access, and RBAC, and combining them with GitHub’s repository management capabilities, organizations can create a streamlined, secure access environment for their development teams.
This integration not only simplifies the login process but also ensures that access to sensitive resources is tightly controlled and monitored. As organizations increasingly adopt cloud-based services, integrating SSO across platforms like GitHub and Entra is becoming a crucial step toward securing the modern enterprise ecosystem.
This article provides a theoretical overview of SSO integration between GitHub and Entra, explaining its benefits, underlying protocols, and high-level implementation steps.
For more technical implementation details, you can refer to my GitHub SSO Integration repository. Please feel free to leave your thoughts in comments, I would love to read them.