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Back Channel Configuration for Single Logout

Single logout enabled with the SOAP binding sends logout requests and responses across a back channel. You can require an entity to authenticate to access the back channel. The back channel can also be secured using SSL, though SSL is not required.

Securing the back channel using SSL involves:

To secure the back channel for single logout

  1. Begin at the Back Channel group box in the SSO and SLO step of the Partnership wizard.
  2. Select SOAP in the SLO group box. The Authentication Method field becomes active.
  3. Select the type of authentication method for the incoming and outgoing back channel. Additional fields to configure are displayed for Basic and Client Cert methods.

    Note: Click Help for a description of fields, controls, and their respective requirements.

    If you select No Auth as the authentication method, no additional steps are required.

  4. Depending on the authentication method you select, several additional fields are displayed for you to configure.

    Note: Click Help for a description of fields, controls, and their respective requirements.

After entering values for all the necessary fields, the back channel configuration is complete.

More information:

SSL Administration for the Apache Web Server and the UI

Sign-Out Overview (WS-Federation)

Sign-out is the simultaneous termination of all user sessions for the browser that initiated the sign-out. Closing all user sessions prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to resources at the Resource Partner.

Sign-out does not necessarily end all sessions for a user. For example, a user with two browsers open can have two independent sessions. Only the session for the browser that initiates the sign-out is terminated at all federated sites for that session. The session in the other browser is still active.

The Policy Server performs sign-out using a signoutconfirmurl.jsp. This page resides on the Identity Provider system. An Identity Provider partner initiates a sign-out request on behalf of a user. The JSP sends the sign-out request to each site where the user signed on during a given browser session. The user is then signed out.

A user can initiate a sign-out request only at an Identity Provider. The request is triggered by clicking a link that points to the appropriate servlet. The sign-out confirmation page must be an unprotected resource at the Identity Provider site.

Note: The Policy Server only supports the WS-Federation Passive Request profile for sign-out.

Enable WSFED Sign-Out

Requirements to configure sign-out:

Follow these steps:

  1. Log in to the Administrative UI.
  2. Select the WS-Federation partnership that you want to modify.
  3. Navigate to the Single Sign-on and Sign-Out step of the partnership wizard.
  4. In the Sign-Out section, set the following fields:

    The URLs must each have an entry that starts with https:// or http://.

    Note: Click Help for a description of fields, controls, and their respective requirements.

  5. Navigate to the Confirm step and click Finish to save your changes.

Sign-out is configured.

Local Logout at the SP (SAML 2.0)

CA SiteMinder® as an SP supports local logout for stand-alone applications. Local logout enables a user to be logged out at the local SP-side application. The session at the SP is removed, but no communication with the IdP or other SPs is involved. Sessions at the IdP and other SPs remain active.

If you include a logout link in an application at the SP, the SP sends a logout request to the local single logout service. The SP logs out the user upon receiving the request. The application at the SP is responsible for sending a confirmation message that the logout is successful.

CA SiteMinder® provides local logout using a query parameter named localLogout. To use this parameter, your application can have a page, such as the following example:

You have completed your registration with demoapp.
To end your session securely, select LOGOUT.

The following sample string represents the link for the LOGOUT button:

<http://sp1server.demo.com:8080/affwebservices/public/saml2slo?LocalLogout=true