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SAML: A fractal of bad design

353 points · 190 comments · aray07

  1. cameronh90 · · focus · HN ↗
    SAML sucks, but it still has a bunch of features for its specific narrow enterprise SSO use-case that OIDC lacks - most notably IdP-initiated flow. OIDC is a constellation of specs with inconsistent support across products, whereas the commonly-implemented subset of SAML is more-or-less stable in its mediocrity.

    OIDC will eventually displace SAML, but if you're selling to enterprises you should really support both. Both will pale compared to the amount of time you spend dealing with SCIM inconsistencies between IdPs anyway.

    1. tptacek · · focus · HN ↗
      Does Tailscale support SAML? If not: why would any other enterprise product need to? Tailscale is like the sine qua non of modern enterprise products, and I believe it's OIDC-only.

      I don't believe it's plausible for any non-specialist firm to implement SAML without grave vulnerabilities. I'm not sure I've ever seen it done well. It's been a minute since I've looked (I haven't consulted in several years, but, more importantly: most firms avoid SAML now), but I'm guessing that assertion still holds.

      1. GICodeWarrior · · focus · HN ↗
        One of the issues I've run into with Tailscale OIDC is that an email domain must be mapped to a single tailnet. So if my IdP has consultants or if my domain contains multiple businesses with different tailnets, I need to do some domain mapping in my IdP and train users to login with that special non-email address.

        This isn't strictly a limitation of OIDC, but I do see this issue more often with OIDC implementations. With IdP-initiated flows, the app doesn't need to know who's in my IdP ahead of time.

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