How BigFix integrates with SAML V2.0

The integration with SAML V2.0 uses the passport-saml authentication provider to allow both Identity provider (IdP) initiated and Service provider (SP) initiated authentication.

The SAML use and requests are managed, for all the BigFix user interfaces that support it, by a WebUI component.

The way you configure the integration with SAML depends on the use that you plan to do:
  • If you want to use the SAML authentication for Web Reports and for theBigFix console only, and you do not need to use it with any WebUI application, you can start the WebUI in SAML-only mode. This SAML configuration allows you to minimize resource consumption. For more information about how to set up this configuration, see Enabling the WebUI in SAML-Only Mode.

  • If you want to use the SAML authentication for all the BigFix user interfaces, including the full set of WebUI components, or the WebUI ETL process, follow the instructions provided in WebUI Installation Checklist if are using BigFix Version 9.5.5 or later.

If the BigFix environment uses one LDAP server as a user repository, user provisioning is not affected by this integration, and administrators continue to define operators and roles to authorize them to use BigFix services. If your BigFix environment operators are defined on more than one LDAP server, read carefully the information provided in Assumptions and requirements.

Integration with SAML 2.0 maintains existing audit scenarios and includes SAML-authenticated user entries in the server_audit.log file.

See the following sample use case:

  1. The user requests a service from BigFix, for example, accesses a page or attempts to log in, through the Web UI, the Web Reports or the BigFix console.
  2. BigFix requests an identity assertion from the LDAP-backed SAML identity provider.
  3. Before delivering the identity assertion, the LDAP-backed SAML identity provider might request some user authentication information, such as user name and password, or another form of authentication, including multi-factor authentication. A directory service such as LDAP or Active Directory is a typical source of authentication token at an identity provider.
  4. On the basis of the identity assertion provided by the identity provider, BigFix decides whether to perform the service requested by that user.
  5. The authentication information is retained and used to allow automatic access for the user, according to the assigned permissions, to the services provided by BigFix.