Single Sign-On, ADFS, WAP, Okta — 50 QnA

SSO enables users to authenticate once and access multiple apps. Uses protocols like SAML, OIDC, or OAuth2 for token exchange. Improves UX, reduces password fatigue, centralizes identity control. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven risk detection. Troubleshoot with token validation and IdP logs. Secure with MFA, session timeouts, and revocation. Implement with centralized IdP like Okta or Azure AD. Interviewers expect knowledge of SSO protocols and flows.

ADFS is Microsoft’s on-premises federation service for SSO. Uses SAML/WS-Fed for federated authentication with apps. Integrates with Active Directory for enterprise identity. Troubleshoot with ADFS event logs and trace tools. Secure with certificate-based signing and MFA. In 2025, supports hybrid cloud with Azure AD. Deploy on Windows Server with high availability. Interviewers may ask about ADFS vs. Azure AD.

WAP is Microsoft’s reverse proxy for publishing ADFS externally. Enables secure access to on-premises apps via SSO. Supports pre-authentication and client certificate auth. Troubleshoot with WAP event logs and SSL issues. Secure with TLS 1.3 and restricted endpoints. In 2025, integrates with Azure AD for hybrid scenarios. Monitor for performance and certificate expiry. Interviewers expect details on WAP-ADFS integration.

Okta is a cloud-based identity platform for SSO and IAM. Supports SAML, OIDC, and SCIM for app integration. Provides MFA, lifecycle management, and API access. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven threat detection. Troubleshoot with Okta logs and app assignment errors. Secure with adaptive MFA and policy enforcement. Integrates with Azure AD, AWS, and SaaS apps. Interviewers may ask about Okta workflows and scalability.

SAML SSO exchanges XML assertions between IdP and SP. IdP authenticates user, issues signed assertion for access. SP validates assertion for session creation. Troubleshoot with SAML tracer and clock sync. Secure with signed assertions and metadata validation. In 2025, supports AI-based assertion anomaly detection. Log SAML events for auditing and diagnostics. Interviewers expect SAML flow diagrams and debugging tips.

ADFS enables SSO via SAML/WS-Fed with AD credentials. Issues tokens post-authentication for app access. Supports claims rules for attribute mapping. Troubleshoot with ADFS admin console and event logs. Secure with MFA and certificate rotation. Integrate with WAP for external access. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD for hybrid SSO. Interviewers may ask about claims customization and trusts.

WAP secures ADFS by acting as a reverse proxy. Performs pre-authentication and validates client requests. Uses SSL termination and client certificate auth. Troubleshoot with WAP logs and proxy errors. Secure with restricted ports and IP filtering. In 2025, supports quantum-resistant TLS ciphers. Monitor for unauthorized access attempts. Interviewers expect knowledge of WAP configuration and risks.

Okta implements SSO via SAML, OIDC, or proprietary flows. Centralizes auth with app integrations in Okta catalog. Supports SWA for apps without native SSO. Troubleshoot with Okta system log and app reports. Secure with adaptive policies and session controls. In 2025, uses AI for session risk scoring. Integrate with SCIM for provisioning. Interviewers may ask about Okta app setup and protocols.

ADFS is on-premises, Okta is cloud-based for SSO/IAM. ADFS integrates tightly with AD; Okta supports multi-source identities. Okta offers broader app catalog and SCIM provisioning. Troubleshoot ADFS with server logs, Okta with dashboard. Secure ADFS with WAP, Okta with adaptive MFA. In 2025, Okta leads with AI-driven analytics. ADFS suits hybrid, Okta cloud-first environments. Interviewers expect trade-offs and migration paths.

Okta uses OIDC for modern SSO with JWT-based ID tokens. Supports authorization code and implicit flows. Provides user info endpoint for claims. Troubleshoot with token validation and redirect URIs. Secure with PKCE and short-lived tokens. In 2025, enhances with AI-based token monitoring. Integrate with APIs for app authentication. Interviewers may ask about OIDC vs. SAML in Okta.

ADFS uses SAML for federated SSO with relying parties. Issues signed assertions with user claims from AD. Supports SP-initiated and IdP-initiated flows. Troubleshoot with SAML tracer and ADFS logs. Secure with certificate-based signing and encryption. In 2025, supports hybrid federation with Azure AD. Monitor for assertion failures and clock skew. Interviewers expect details on SAML trust setup.

WAP publishes ADFS endpoints for external SSO access. Authenticates users before proxying to ADFS. Supports rich clients and browser-based apps. Troubleshoot with WAP event logs and SSL errors. Secure with client certificates and IP restrictions. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD proxy capabilities. Monitor proxy traffic for anomalies. Interviewers may ask about WAP-ADFS topology.

Okta Identity Governance manages access certifications and lifecycle. Automates provisioning, deprovisioning, and compliance reviews. Uses SCIM for app integration and role management. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven access analytics. Troubleshoot with workflow logs and audit reports. Secure with least privilege and automated remediation. Integrate with Okta Workflows for automation. Interviewers expect knowledge of access reviews and SCIM.

Claims rules in ADFS transform AD attributes into SAML assertions. Define issuance, transformation, and authorization rules. Support custom logic for attribute filtering. Troubleshoot with claims pipeline and event logs. Secure with minimal attribute exposure and validation. In 2025, integrates with Azure AD for hybrid claims. Test rules in staging to avoid disruptions. Interviewers may ask about rule syntax and use cases.

Okta supports MFA with factors like push, SMS, and biometrics. Uses Okta Verify, WebAuthn, or third-party authenticators. Enforces adaptive MFA based on risk signals. In 2025, adds AI-driven factor selection. Troubleshoot with factor enrollment and auth logs. Secure with phishing-resistant factors like FIDO2. Monitor MFA events for anomalies. Interviewers expect details on MFA policies and bypass risks.

ADFS supports MFA via Azure MFA or third-party providers. Integrates with AD for conditional access policies. Requires additional adapter for custom MFA providers. Troubleshoot with MFA adapter logs and event viewer. Secure with strong factors and certificate auth. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD MFA for hybrid. Monitor MFA failures for user issues. Interviewers may ask about MFA adapter setup.

Okta Workflows automates identity processes like provisioning. Uses low-code flows for app integrations and logic. Supports event triggers and API connectors. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven workflow suggestions. Troubleshoot with flow execution logs and errors. Secure with delegated auth and scoped permissions. Integrate with Okta Identity Governance. Interviewers expect examples of workflow use cases.

ADFS high availability uses farm deployment with multiple servers. Load balances with Windows NLB or external balancers. Requires shared SQL database for configuration. Troubleshoot with health checks and replication logs. Secure with internal firewalls and certificate trust. In 2025, supports hybrid HA with Azure AD. Monitor farm health for failover issues. Interviewers may ask about farm setup and scaling.

Okta API Access Management secures APIs with OAuth 2.0. Issues scoped tokens for machine-to-machine or user access. Supports OIDC for user authentication. Troubleshoot with token introspection and logs. Secure with fine-grained scopes and rate limits. In 2025, uses AI for API anomaly detection. Integrate with Okta SSO for unified auth. Interviewers expect details on OAuth flows and scopes.

WAP integrates with ADFS as a reverse proxy for external access. Publishes ADFS endpoints with pre-authentication. Uses ADAL for token-based authentication. Troubleshoot with WAP-ADFS trust and SSL issues. Secure with certificate pinning and restricted IPs. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD Application Proxy. Monitor WAP logs for authentication failures. Interviewers may ask about WAP-ADFS trust setup.

Okta Adaptive Authentication adjusts auth based on risk signals. Uses IP, device, and behavior for dynamic policies. Triggers MFA for high-risk logins or locations. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven risk scoring. Troubleshoot with risk event logs and policy rules. Secure with strong factors and session controls. Monitor for false positives to reduce friction. Interviewers expect details on risk signals and tuning.

ADFS token signing uses certificates to secure SAML assertions. Ensures integrity and authenticity of issued tokens. Rotates certificates to maintain trust and security. Troubleshoot with certificate expiry and trust errors. Secure with auto-rotation and backup certificates. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD for hybrid signing. Monitor signing events for anomalies. Interviewers may ask about certificate rotation steps.

Okta Universal Directory centralizes user profiles across sources. Syncs with AD, LDAP, and HR systems for attributes. Supports custom schemas and group management. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven profile enrichment. Troubleshoot with sync logs and attribute mappings. Secure with least privilege and audit trails. Integrate with SCIM for provisioning. Interviewers expect details on directory sync and mappings.

ADFS federation metadata defines endpoints and certificates for trusts. Exchanged with SPs for SAML/WS-Fed configuration. Includes signing keys and token endpoints. Troubleshoot with metadata validation and refresh issues. Secure with signed metadata and pinned certificates. In 2025, supports automated metadata refresh. Monitor for unauthorized metadata changes. Interviewers may ask about metadata exchange and updates.

Okta Lifecycle Management automates user provisioning/deprovisioning. Uses SCIM for app integration and HR triggers. Supports birthright access and role-based provisioning. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven access recommendations. Troubleshoot with provisioning logs and error codes. Secure with automated deprovisioning and audits. Integrate with Workflows for complex logic. Interviewers expect details on SCIM and lifecycle flows.

ADFS handles external users via federation trusts or guest accounts. Uses SAML/WS-Fed for partner organization SSO. Requires trust setup with external IdPs. Troubleshoot with claims rules and trust errors. Secure with attribute filtering and MFA. In 2025, integrates with Azure AD B2B. Monitor external logins for compliance. Interviewers may ask about B2B federation setup.

Okta supports external users via B2B and B2C integrations. Uses SAML/OIDC for SSO and SCIM for provisioning. Enables guest access with self-service registration. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven guest monitoring. Troubleshoot with user invite and sync logs. Secure with domain restrictions and MFA. Monitor guest activity via system logs. Interviewers expect details on B2B/B2C configurations.

WAP pre-authentication validates users before proxying to apps. Integrates with ADFS for SSO and token issuance. Supports Kerberos and forms-based authentication. Troubleshoot with WAP logs and auth failures. Secure with client certificates and TLS. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD pre-auth policies. Monitor for unauthorized access attempts. Interviewers may ask about pre-auth flows and setup.

Okta Advanced Server Access secures SSH/RDP to servers. Uses short-lived certificates for just-in-time access. Integrates with cloud providers like AWS, Azure. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven access analytics. Troubleshoot with client logs and certificate issues. Secure with least privilege and session monitoring. Monitor for unauthorized server access. Interviewers expect details on JIT access and scaling.

ADFS hybrid federation bridges on-premises AD with Azure AD. Enables SSO across cloud and on-premises apps. Uses Azure AD Connect for directory sync. Troubleshoot with sync logs and ADFS events. Secure with MFA and conditional access. In 2025, supports seamless hybrid SSO transitions. Monitor for sync conflicts and latency. Interviewers may ask about hybrid setup and migration.

Okta ThreatInsight blocks logins from malicious IPs or credentials. Uses crowd-sourced data for real-time threat detection. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven anomaly detection. Troubleshoot with blocked login reports and logs. Secure with integration into adaptive policies. Monitor for false positives to reduce friction. Integrate with Okta Verify for remediation. Interviewers expect details on threat feeds and tuning.

ADFS uses WS-Federation for legacy app SSO. Issues security tokens with claims for authentication. Supports browser-based and active clients. Troubleshoot with WS-Fed endpoint and logs. Secure with signed tokens and endpoint restrictions. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD for hybrid WS-Fed. Monitor for token issuance failures. Interviewers may ask about WS-Fed vs. SAML differences.

Okta SWA enables SSO for apps without native SAML/OIDC. Uses password vaulting and form-filling for authentication. Supports legacy or custom web apps. Troubleshoot with SWA app logs and credential errors. Secure with encrypted credentials and MFA. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven credential management. Monitor for app access anomalies. Interviewers expect details on SWA limitations and setup.

WAP supports Kerberos Constrained Delegation for ADFS apps. Proxies Kerberos tickets for seamless authentication. Requires AD configuration for delegation trust. Troubleshoot with Kerberos event logs and SPNs. Secure with restricted delegation and TLS. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD Kerberos support. Monitor for ticket failures and misconfigurations. Interviewers may ask about Kerberos setup and debugging.

Okta IdP Discovery routes users to correct IdP for SSO. Uses domain, email, or attributes for routing logic. Supports multiple IdPs in complex environments. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven routing optimization. Troubleshoot with routing rules and user logs. Secure with strict domain mapping and MFA. Monitor for misrouted authentication attempts. Interviewers expect details on IdP routing and setup.

ADFS certificate authentication uses client certs for auth. Bypasses passwords for stronger security. Requires PKI and certificate distribution. Troubleshoot with certificate chain and CRL issues. Secure with short-lived certs and revocation lists. In 2025, supports Azure AD certificate auth. Monitor for certificate misuse or expiry. Interviewers may ask about PKI integration and setup.

Okta passwordless uses WebAuthn, Okta Verify, or biometrics. Reduces phishing with FIDO2-compliant factors. Supports push notifications and device-bound keys. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven factor selection. Troubleshoot with factor enrollment and device logs. Secure with phishing-resistant factors and policies. Monitor for adoption and fallback usage. Interviewers expect details on passwordless flows and recovery.

ADFS prevents token replay with nonce and timestamp checks. Validates token signatures and audience restrictions. Uses short-lived tokens to reduce replay windows. Troubleshoot with token validation logs and errors. Secure with replay detection and logging. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD anti-replay features. Monitor for replay attempts in event logs. Interviewers may ask about replay mitigation strategies.

Okta SLO terminates sessions across apps on logout. Supports SAML and OIDC apps with IdP-initiated logout. Requires app support for consistent SLO behavior. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven session monitoring. Troubleshoot with SLO endpoint and session logs. Secure with token revocation and session timeouts. Monitor for incomplete logout events. Interviewers expect details on SLO challenges and setup.

WAP uses external or Windows NLB for load balancing. Distributes traffic across multiple WAP servers. Requires sticky sessions for ADFS consistency. Troubleshoot with NLB health checks and logs. Secure with IP restrictions and TLS termination. In 2025, aligns with Azure load balancing. Monitor for load distribution and failures. Interviewers may ask about NLB setup and scaling.

Okta Identity Threat Protection detects and mitigates identity attacks. Analyzes login patterns, credentials, and device signals. Automates responses like MFA or session termination. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven threat correlation. Troubleshoot with threat logs and response actions. Secure with real-time policies and integrations. Monitor for attack patterns and false positives. Interviewers expect details on threat detection and response.

ADFS monitoring tracks authentication, token issuance, and errors. Uses Windows Event Viewer and Performance Monitor. Integrates with Azure Monitor for hybrid scenarios. Troubleshoot with event IDs and health checks. Secure with restricted log access and auditing. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven anomaly detection. Monitor for login failures and performance issues. Interviewers may ask about monitoring tools and metrics.

Okta’s App Integration Catalog provides pre-built SSO connectors. Supports SAML, OIDC, and SCIM for thousands of apps. Simplifies setup with templates and mappings. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven app discovery. Troubleshoot with app assignment and auth logs. Secure with scoped access and provisioning rules. Monitor for unused or misconfigured apps. Interviewers expect details on catalog setup and custom apps.

ADFS supports multi-domain via AD forest trusts. Issues tokens based on user’s domain attributes. Requires claims rules for cross-domain mappings. Troubleshoot with trust configuration and logs. Secure with least privilege and attribute filtering. In 2025, integrates with Azure AD for multi-tenant. Monitor for cross-domain auth failures. Interviewers may ask about forest trust and claims setup.

Okta Device Trust enforces device compliance for SSO access. Checks device posture via Intune or Jamf integration. Blocks non-compliant devices with conditional policies. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven device risk scoring. Troubleshoot with device enrollment and policy logs. Secure with certificate-based device auth. Monitor for non-compliant access attempts. Interviewers expect details on device trust policies.

ADFS device authentication validates devices for conditional access. Uses device certificates or Azure AD registration. Enforces policies for compliant device logins. Troubleshoot with device registration and logs. Secure with certificate revocation and MFA. In 2025, aligns with Azure AD device policies. Monitor for unauthorized device attempts. Interviewers may ask about device auth setup and integration.

Okta FastPass enables passwordless SSO with device-bound factors. Uses Okta Verify for biometric or push auth. Reduces friction with seamless device recognition. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven auth optimization. Troubleshoot with FastPass enrollment and logs. Secure with FIDO2-compliant factors and policies. Monitor for adoption and fallback usage. Interviewers expect details on FastPass vs. traditional MFA.

ADFS supports legacy apps via WS-Fed or Kerberos. Issues tokens for apps without modern SSO protocols. Uses WAP for secure external access. Troubleshoot with claims rules and app logs. Secure with minimal claims and restricted endpoints. In 2025, bridges to Azure AD for modernization. Monitor for legacy app auth failures. Interviewers may ask about legacy app integration challenges.

Okta Customer Identity (Auth0) manages B2C and B2B authentication. Supports social logins, SSO, and custom branding. Uses OIDC/SAML for app integration. In 2025, enhances with AI-driven user profiling. Troubleshoot with Auth0 logs and user flows. Secure with MFA and brute-force protection. Monitor for user signup and login anomalies. Interviewers expect details on B2C setup and customization.

In 2025, SSO evolves with passwordless and AI-driven security. ADFS aligns with Azure AD for hybrid federation. WAP integrates with cloud proxies for scalability. Okta leads with AI-enhanced governance and threat detection. Troubleshoot with unified logs and AI analytics. Secure with quantum-resistant protocols and zero trust. Monitor for adoption of passwordless and AI features. Interviewers may probe AI ethics and hybrid migration trends.