Configuring SAML Groups in ZenGRC [archived]

Benefits

ZenGRC allows for easy user management directly from common SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) Identity Providers (IdPs), such as Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) and Okta. Through the creation of matching user groups between ZenGRC and your organization's IdP, users can be managed completely on the IdP level with no management on the ZenGRC side.

SAML group users are not automatically provisioned. The account is created when a user tries to access ZenGRC.

By enabling group-based role handling on the ZenGRC SAML Settings page, administrators reduce set up time and increase security by only managing users in one place. Any user in an IdP group corresponding with the identical ZenGRC group can log in to ZenGRC and be allowed access at the appropriate permission level.
 

At each ZenGRC log in, permission changes in the connected SSO IdP are checked and enforced as follows:

• If users are in two groups in the IdP, they will be placed in the ZenGRC group with the greatest permissions. For example, someone in both the administrators group and the readers group will receive administrator privileges in ZenGRC, 

• When users are removed from the IdP altogether, they are not allowed to log in to ZenGRC.
• Users who are still in the IdP, but are not in any of the groups, will be moved to a "no access" status in ZenGRC.

Setting the Connection

Creating a SAML SSO connection between ZenGRC and your IdP must be done in order for group role handling to be enabled.

Enabling Group-Based Roles

IdP Set Up

The last step in your IdP is to add an attribute called "groups." Each IdP differs in navigation, but the following shows an example page where attributes are added.

The XML generated when this attribute is added looks similar to the example below:

<Attribute Name="groups" NameFormat="urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:attrname-format:basic">
    <AttributeValue>Marketing team</AttributeValue>
    <AttributeValue>ZenGRC-Editors</AttributeValue>
</Attribute>

ZenGRC Set Up

To allow for groups in your IdP and ZenGRC instance to share information, complete the following steps:

1. In the left-hand navigation, click Settings | Authentication.
   
   
   
   
2. Click on Manage Groups.
   
   
3. Select Enable group-based role handling in ZenGRC.
   
   
   
   

4. Update group names so they are identical in ZenGRC and your organization's IdP. 
   
   

   TIP

   ZenGRC provides default names for you to use; however, they can be changed if needed. Be certain any change made in ZenGRC is also replicated in your IdP.