Single Sign-On is Here

Single Sign-OnTonight, we enabled Single Sign-On (SSO) for my.SMU and employee.SMU. This allows you to move freely within the same browser session between my.SMU and services such as Concur, lynda.com, or Canvas.  We have created a video to help demonstrate using Single Sign-On with our web services.

Security and SSO

As mentioned in the video, there are some concerns you need to be aware of if you are using a shared computer, such as those in a computer lab or a library. Since you authorized and granted access to a Single Sign-On service, you will also be granted access to all the SSO services without additional login prompts until you quit out of the web browser.

For example: you log in to Canvas on a classroom computer using Internet Explorer.  You close the IE browser tab for Canvas but do not close the entire browser.  Another student walks up to the computer shortly afterwards. The student accesses IE and then navigates to my.SMU.  Your browser login is still active and will take the student directly in to your my.SMU page.

You may be asking, “How do I prevent this?” The easiest solution is to log off the computer when you are done working or restart the computer completely. If  you are stepping away from your computer, we recommend locking your screen while away.

Please note: if you use the Chrome browser, the session is not closed when you simply quit the browser itself.  We recommend using Incognito mode whenever you access services using SSO on a public computer.

This change is a prerequisite for our upcoming Duo two-factor authentication implementation.

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Ian Aberle

Ian Aberle is an Adobe Creative Educator and the Senior IT Communications Specialist & Trainer for the Office of Information Technology (OIT). For over 25 years, he has helped the SMU community use technology and implement digital and web media through multiple roles with the Digital Commons, SMU STAR Program, and now OIT. Ian enjoys photography and road trips with his family in his free time.