Online Cyber Security: Calculating Return on Investment for SSO Implementations

Single sign-on (SSO) simplifies user access by providing one login for many applications. SSO improves online cyber security by reducing password fatigue, decreasing the attack surface of multiple credentials, and centralizing authentication administration.

SSO’s benefits are evident, but implementing it takes time, money, and technical effort. Thus, ROI must be carefully assessed.

Organizations may justify the investment and demonstrate SSO’s security and profitability benefits by quantifying the financial benefits, from lower helpdesk expenditures and higher productivity to lower breach risks.

Understanding SSO (Single Sign On)

According to Statista, companies increasingly use remote workers, contractors, volunteers, suppliers, and other non-full-time personnel. Extending SSO to external users is a priority to keep resources safe and accessible. In 2022, 87% of EMEA enterprises implemented SSO. 26% of respondents stated that their company will do so in the precise location within 12 to 18 months.

SSO lets users log into several apps with one account. It acts as a central authentication point, allowing users to access connected apps without extra logins after logging in and receiving a verification token from the SSO system.

There are several benefits to this strategy in terms of security and usability:

1. Enhanced Security

• Discourages the use of weak or repetitive passwords and lessens password fatigue.
• Reduces the number of credentials attackers can target, reducing the attack surface.
• Centralizes the enforcement of policies and authentication control.

2. Simplified User Authentication

• Offers a smooth login process on multiple platforms.
• Removes tedious login steps, increasing user productivity.

Cyber security challenges addressed by SSO

The widespread use of cloud apps and digital services brings several cyber security challenges. 

Popular cloud apps and digital services pose cyber security risks. Specialized knowledge and skilled staff are needed to combat these complex cyberattacks. Thus, the demand for affordable cyber security education has increased, prompting many aspiring professionals to consider cheap cyber security degree online.

SSO targets weaknesses that graduates, who often gain basic knowledge through cost-effective programs, can identify. Their understanding emphasizes the need for strong enterprise authentication solutions to address these widespread cyber security issues.

SSO directly addresses several serious flaws in conventional authentication techniques, such as:

• Password management issues: Addresses weak, repeated, and forgotten passwords to reduce user frustration and security risks. Additionally, the cost of resetting the password helpdesk is reduced.
• Multi-platform access complexity: Standardizes access across various systems, improves user experience, and reduces security risks associated with multiple login passwords.
• Identity and access management (IAM) concerns: Allows administrators to centrally manage user IDs, enforce access constraints, and speed up onboarding and offboarding, improving IAM posture.
• Phishing and credential theft risks: The number of unique credentials that can be targeted by phishing campaigns and other credential theft methods is dramatically reduced, limiting the impact of a successful assault.

Key Metrics for ROI Calculation

Organizations must monitor specific, measurable KPIs in many key areas to evaluate SSO ROI. These steps translate SSO’s operational and security benefits into commercial value:

1. Cost Savings

Quantifies the decrease in operating costs directly.

• Reduction in IT support costs: Calculates the savings from fewer help desk tickets, primarily for aid with lockouts and password resets.
• Decrease in security breach-related costs: SSO’s better authentication could save money on breaches (repair, fines, investigation, and reputational harm).

2. Productivity Gains

Captures the benefit of increased productivity.

• Time savings from faster logins: Determines the total time saved by staff members who are no longer required to check in to various apps repeatedly.
• Improved employee efficiency: Evaluates the broader effects of simple access on workflow and job completion time.

3. Security Improvements

Represents the improved compliance and risk reduction attained.

• Decrease in security incidents: Monitors the decline in occurrences (such as illegal access attempts) brought on by better SSO authentication.
• Enhanced user compliance: Evaluates the increased security policy compliance made possible by streamlined and centralized access control.

Cost of SSO implementation

Even though SSO has several advantages, figuring out a precise return on investment necessitates having a thorough grasp of the entire investment. These expenses include every stage of the SSO solution’s lifespan and usually fall into a few main categories:

1] Initial Setup and Integration Costs

The initial expenditures include software license or subscription fees, hardware acquisition (if needed), expert deployment services, and integrating the SSO solution with pre-existing directories and apps.

2] Maintenance and Training Costs

Maintaining system functionality requires continuous costs. This comprises software updates, patch management, vendor support, and IT staff and end-user training to administer and use the system.

3] Long-term and operational costs

Consider subscription renewals, scalability costs as the firm grows, and security audits or updates to maintain the SSO infrastructure’s stability and compliance after setup and maintenance.

Justifying SSO investment through ROI

SSO boosts internet cyber security and user efficiency. However, a rigorous ROI study is needed to justify the expenditure. 

Organizations can demonstrate the tangible financial value and strategic advantage of SSO by meticulously quantifying cost savings (reduced helpdesk load, lower potential breach impact), productivity gains (faster access, improved workflows), and security gains (fewer incidents, better compliance) against implementation and ongoing operational costs. 

This measured strategy turns SSO from an IT initiative or perceived operational expense into a documented investment in security, efficiency, and business health, justifying it to stakeholders.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from SSOJet authored by Diksha Pooniya. Read the original post at: https://ssojet.com/blog/online-cyber-security-calculating-return-on-investment-for-sso-implementations/