{"id":2041774,"date":"2025-01-08T13:01:04","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T18:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.enzoic.com\/?p=83787"},"modified":"2025-01-08T13:01:04","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T18:01:04","slug":"the-openid-shared-signals-framework","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/securityboulevard.com\/2025\/01\/the-openid-shared-signals-framework\/","title":{"rendered":"The OpenID Shared Signals Framework"},"content":{"rendered":"

A New Chapter for Immediate, Cross-Organizational Security<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In\u202ftoday\u2019s\u202fhyper-connected society, personal accounts rarely remain confined to a single platform. Individuals often access multiple applications and resources\u2014ranging\u202ffrom an\u202forganization\u2019s\u202finternal systems and cloud-based apps to consumer-facing services such as media platforms or financial portals.\u202fUnfortunately, those who engage in malicious activities\u202fare quick to\u202fnotice\u202fany\u202flack of coordination between these different environments.\u202fToo often, organizations operate within isolated\u202fsilos,\u202fand fail to share timely information about compromised accounts, session shutdowns, or suspicious user behavior.<\/p>\n

Now\u202fconsider a standard that enables organizations to exchange critical security-related notifications across these previously isolated systems. Picture a scenario where detecting an account takeover attempt<\/a> or indicator of compromise in one environment\u202finstantly prompts preemptive measures in all other connected services. The OpenID Shared Signals Framework (SSF) moves this vision closer to reality.<\/p>\n

This post will clarify what SSF is, describe its approach, explain the roles of the Continuous Access Evaluation Protocol (CAEP) and Risk Incident Sharing and Coordination (RISC), and outline\u202fthe ways in which\u202fit encourages organizations to work together for stronger protection.<\/p>\n

Introducing the Shared Signals Framework<\/h2>\n

The OpenID Shared Signals Framework defines a standardized way for one organization (the sender) to inform another (the receiver) about significant security events in near real-time. Rather than each participant making decisions in isolation, SSF ensures everyone involved can react promptly to developments.<\/p>\n

If one organization identifies that a\u202fuser\u2019s\u202fcredentials might be compromised, it can send\u202fout\u202fa security signal to its partners. Those partners, in turn, can immediately enact protective steps like forcing a password reset, re-verifying the\u202fuser\u2019s\u202fidentity, or\u202fdisabling\u202fcurrent sessions. This method dramatically shortens the window of risk by ensuring that relevant updates reach everyone who might depend on that\u202fuser\u2019s\u202faccount data.<\/p>\n

How does the Shared Signals Framework work?<\/h2>\n

When an organization needs to revoke a\u202fuser’s\u202fsession\u2014whether due to suspicious activity, a password reset, compromised credentials<\/a>, or an account being disabled\u2014the SSF\u202fallows systems to communicate and act in\u202freal-time.\u202fThe process begins when the\u202fIdentity Provider (IdP)\u202f(like Okta) or\u202fanother system capable of identifying security threats detects an issue\u202fthat requires\u202faction.\u202fFor example, if a\u202fuser’s\u202faccount shows signs of\u202fcompromise,\u202for\u202fif their password has\u202fbeen reset, the IdP generates a\u202fSecurity Event Token (SET).\u202fThis token is essentially a secure message that describes what happened, such as\u202f”session revoked”\u202for\u202f”account disabled,”\u202fand contains details about the affected user.<\/p>\n

The IdP then\u202fdigitally signs\u202fthe token<\/a> and sends it to all connected services, known as\u202fRelying Parties\u202f(these could be apps or cloud services). Once an RP receives the token, it first verifies the signature to ensure the message is authentic before correlating it to an account and taking action based on the event in the token, such as logging users out of active sessions, removing access rights, or requiring reauthentication.<\/p>\n

Throughout this process,\u202fboth\u202fthe IdP and RP should\u202flog the event\u202ffor auditing purposes by recording key details (the time of the event, the user ID, and the reason for revocation). The beauty of SSF is its ability to ensure that security signals propagate\u202fimmediately and consistently\u202facross all connected systems. If one platform detects a problem, every linked service can respond, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and keeping user accounts secure across the ecosystem.<\/p>\n

\"Shared<\/p>\n

These are participants of the Shared Signals Framework, indicating their role as signal transmitters, receivers, or both.<\/small><\/p>\n

Why This Approach Matters<\/h2>\n

Traditional security efforts often rely on an inward focus. Without external cues, a service may trust a user session that appears normal locally, even if another party has just flagged that account as compromised. This delay can prove costly. Attackers exploit these gaps, taking advantage of the time it takes for organizations\u202fto manually exchange information\u202for for periodic checks to catch up to new developments.<\/p>\n

SSF addresses this shortfall by establishing continuous, event-driven communication channels. Whenever key events occur, partner services are informed. The result is fewer missed signals and a\u202fgreatly\u202freduced exposure window. Instead of waiting hours, days, or even longer for an incident to come to light, an affected party can learn about it within seconds or\u202fminutes,\u202fand respond accordingly.<\/p>\n

The Two Core Protocols: CAEP and RISC<\/h2>\n

SSF\u2019s\u202fcore functionality is carried out by two protocols, each covering different types of events:<\/p>\n

1. Continuous Access Evaluation Protocol (CAEP):\u00a0<\/strong>
\nCAEP handles events related to active sessions. These signals involve updates that call\u202ffor immediate responses.\u202fFor example, if an organization decides to terminate a session due to questionable\u202factivity,\u202for if the\u202fuser\u2019s\u202fprofile claims (such as assigned roles or privileges) change mid-session, CAEP ensures partners know about it\u202fright away.<\/p>\n

Examples of CAEP events:<\/p>\n