Introduction

Microsoft has announced the general availability of OpenID Connect (OIDC) identity provider support for Microsoft Entra External ID, marking a significant advancement in cloud-based identity management. This enhancement enables organizations to integrate seamlessly with external identity providers, facilitating secure and efficient authentication processes.

Background on Microsoft Entra External ID

Microsoft Entra External ID is a customer identity and access management (CIAM) solution designed to help organizations manage external identities, including customers, partners, and guests. It offers features such as customizable sign-in experiences, self-service registration, and robust analytics, all aimed at enhancing user engagement and security.

Understanding OpenID Connect

OpenID Connect is an authentication protocol built on OAuth 2.0, allowing clients to verify the identity of end-users based on authentication performed by an authorization server. It provides a standardized way to handle user authentication, offering benefits like single sign-on (SSO) and reduced password fatigue.

Key Features and Scenarios

The integration of OIDC support into Microsoft Entra External ID unlocks several key scenarios:

  • Integration with Cloud Identity Providers: Organizations can now connect their sign-in and sign-up flows with various cloud identity providers that support OIDC, such as Amazon, Auth0, and Okta.
  • Federation with Azure AD B2C: Businesses can maintain integration with existing Azure AD B2C tenants while leveraging the new capabilities of Entra External ID.
  • Social Identity Provider Federation: Users can sign in using their existing social accounts, including personal Microsoft Accounts, enhancing user convenience and adoption rates.
  • Partner and Government Identity Providers: The support extends to partner identity providers and government or citizen identity programs, facilitating secure authentication across various sectors.

Technical Implementation

To configure an OIDC identity provider in Microsoft Entra External ID, administrators need to:

  1. Register the Application: Create and register an application with the external identity provider, supplying necessary settings and redirect URLs.
  2. Obtain Configuration Details: Gather the client ID, client secret, and well-known configuration endpoint from the identity provider.
  3. Add the Identity Provider: In the Microsoft Entra admin center, add the new identity provider using the obtained information.
  4. Enable in User Flows: Incorporate the identity provider into user flows associated with the application to enable seamless sign-in and sign-up experiences.

Detailed guidance on this process is available in Microsoft's documentation. (learn.microsoft.com)

Implications and Impact

The addition of OIDC support to Microsoft Entra External ID offers several benefits:

  • Enhanced User Experience: Users can authenticate using existing credentials, reducing the need for multiple accounts and passwords.
  • Improved Security: Federated authentication minimizes password-related security risks and allows for consistent enforcement of security policies.
  • Operational Efficiency: Organizations can streamline onboarding processes for external users, reducing administrative overhead and accelerating collaboration.

Future Developments

Currently, OIDC federation supports integration with non-Entra tenants, such as Azure AD B2C and personal Microsoft Accounts. Microsoft plans to expand this capability to enable federation with Entra tenants as OIDC external identity providers, further enhancing interoperability and collaboration opportunities. (devblogs.microsoft.com)

Conclusion

The general availability of OpenID Connect support in Microsoft Entra External ID represents a significant step forward in external identity management. By adopting this standard, organizations can achieve more secure, scalable, and user-friendly authentication processes, fostering better collaboration and user engagement.