Sign-in using another account
Description
Sign in to a service with an account you already have. This is known as single sign-on (SSO) or social login.
For example, you can sign in to a new app with a Google account.
IF thinks that this pattern reduces the number of passwords people have to remember and avoids people using the same password for different services (if they don’t use a password manager). This also means that the single sign-on account becomes a single point of failure for numerous logins so it should be protected with a strong password and multi-factor authentication. Sign-on providers might track people’s online movements and preferences.
Advantages
- No need to remember another password
- No need to verify email addresses
- Fast access to new services
- Can be more secure than creating multiple sign-ins with different services (single sign-on providers tend to be more protected against breaches and offer multi-factor authentication)
- As people enter passwords less there’s less opportunity for something to go wrong, like a hack or misconfigured security
- Can protect people’s privacy by, for example, hiding the email address from third-party services
- People can revoke access through the single sign-on provider
Limitations
- If the single sign-on account is compromised, the security of linked services is at risk and people might be locked out of them
- Single sign-on providers might track users’ online movements and preferences
- Third-party services might ask for additional permissions at sign-in. They might require to, for example, access your contact list, tweet on your behalf, etc. (Google)
Examples
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