How Secure Are Social Single Sign-On Logins

Single social sign-on is a method of entry into a site through logging in using your social media or email credentials. Using social sign-on eliminates the need for visitors to go through the whole process of setting up new usernames and passwords on yet another site. Using a social single sign-on also means, you don't have to remember another set of details to login saving time and effort.

If you're a company already using the single social sign-on approach, then you have probably seen that a social login option on your digital platforms has impacted positively on the number of new users registering. If you are a general user who browses the internet a lot, you may have noticed on several sites that you're given the option to either log in as a new user or with Twitter, Facebook or Google, the latter option gives users the satisfaction or being able to register within a few seconds. But the question that many people think about is how secure the social single sign-on process is?

Here we will discuss the various viewpoints of security regarding single sign-on logins.

Social Media Networks Investing Heavily On Security Features

Social media platforms are spending more than ever on their security for social logins as thousands of 3rd party companies are turning to single social sign-in as the preferred method of registering new customers as well as a simple signing in process for existing users. With social sign-in being a high focal point of many businesses, social media platforms have made security a top priority or risk companies turning away looking for other methods if personal details are compromised.

Relentless Battle Against Hackers Attempting To Breach Security

If hackers do manage to break into a social media account via a weak password or through a forced technical attack, this doesn't just put a social media users profile in jeopardy, but it compromises every other website and application where a user is logged using a social sign-on option. Likewise, if a person mobile phone is taken and unlocked, with multiple social accounts still logged in, then more accounts will become compromised.

Threat of Tracking Scripts Still Prevalent

A study by the website, Search Security Tech, showed that, while logged into an application or online site using a social sign-in, a 3rd party may put tracking scripts on a site/application. Tracking scripts can steal information that you may have shared with an app or site while using social login.

It's a hard fact that many organisations now design software and tracking mechanisms that can be utilised to steal and sell information from many platforms.

Things To Consider When Implementing A Social Sign-On Platform

While the convenience and ease of social sign-in is indisputable, it's growing frequently more complicated to disregard the threats of using such features. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are thinking about implementing a secure social sign-on feature:

• Enable multi-factor authentication and risk-based adaptive authentication features that are provided by your social media network. A number of social network providers have set up these built-in security enhancement features, but they may not be enabled by default. Make sure to check your account/privacy settings and make the appropriate changes. This way, an additional layer of security will back you up even in case that your username/password are compromised.
• Check what permissions are being asked of you by the website or application that you are registering to using a social login. There will be a request to access your name, public profile and a few other details sometimes. Provide only information that you think is relevant to the site and deny all others. It might also help if you go back to your social media account and check what all is part of your public profile, and change those settings in order to limit the information you are allowing someone else to access.
• Use the social login feature selectively. If you are wary of a website or application, or if you are sure you will not be using it too often, then avoid logging in to them using your social media credentials. We suggest creating an email ID only for such occasional-use sign ups and using that to register instead.