Manage User Lifecycle With SSO OAuth In Twenty Enhancing Security And Compliance

July 6, 2025 by StackCamp Team 81 views

Manage User Lifecycle Through SSO/OAuth in Twenty: Enhancing Security and Compliance

In today's digital landscape, organizations handling personal or sensitive information must prioritize robust security measures. Single Sign-On (SSO) and OAuth have become essential components in managing user access and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR. This article delves into the critical aspects of user lifecycle management through SSO/OAuth, particularly within the context of the Twenty platform, and highlights the importance of centralized identity management for enhanced security and operational efficiency.

The Significance of SSO and OAuth for Modern Organizations

In the contemporary organizational framework, the expectation is that systems dealing with personal and/or sensitive data will implement SSO. This is crucial for ensuring that individuals who depart from the organization promptly lose access to pertinent information. Furthermore, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and conditional access protocols can be applied when accessing such data, adding an extra layer of security. This approach is particularly important in sectors dealing with Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and other sensitive data, where regulatory compliance and data protection are paramount.

SSO, or Single Sign-On, offers a streamlined and secure method for users to access multiple applications with a single set of credentials. This not only enhances user experience but also significantly improves security by reducing the attack surface associated with managing multiple passwords. OAuth, on the other hand, is an authorization framework that enables secure delegated access, allowing users to grant third-party applications limited access to their resources without sharing their credentials. Together, SSO and OAuth provide a robust foundation for modern identity and access management (IAM) systems.

Centralized Identity Management with Identity Providers (IdPs)

The backbone of a secure and efficient system is often an Identity Provider (IdP), such as Entra ID. An IdP centralizes user authentication and authorization, governing access to various systems that contain sensitive information, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms. Access control is typically managed through groups within the IdP, ensuring that users are assigned appropriate permissions based on their roles and responsibilities. This is not only a key aspect of FinOps (managing license costs) but also crucial for Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) within the system, such as granting sales departments access to CRM data. Organizations are increasingly relying on IdPs to manage user access and ensure that only authorized individuals can access sensitive information. This approach is essential for maintaining data security and complying with regulatory requirements.

Key Requirements for Systems Integrating with IdPs

To fully leverage the capabilities of an IdP, systems must meet certain requirements. First, they need to disable all authentication methods that rely on traditional username/password logins, delegating this responsibility to the IdP via OAuth2. This ensures that the IdP remains the single source of truth for user authentication. Second, the system must delegate the user lifecycle management to the IdP. This includes creating users upon their first login, updating user information upon subsequent logins, and deactivating users when they leave the organization. By centralizing user management within the IdP, organizations can ensure consistent and secure access control across all systems.

The IdP, through its policies (such as group-to-application assignments and MFA requirements), assumes responsibility for these controls. This centralized approach simplifies administration, enhances security, and reduces the risk of unauthorized access. By shifting the authentication burden to the IdP, organizations can enforce consistent security policies and streamline the user management process.

Challenges with Current Implementation in Twenty

Currently, the Twenty platform faces certain limitations in fully integrating with SSO/OAuth for user lifecycle management. The existing implementation presents several challenges that hinder seamless integration with IdPs and can lead to security vulnerabilities. Understanding these challenges is crucial for developing solutions that align with industry best practices and meet the evolving needs of organizations.

Existing Limitations in Twenty's User Management

Currently, Twenty's user management system has several limitations that impede seamless SSO/OAuth integration. Specifically:

Users can only log in to Twenty after being explicitly invited by an administrator.
The initial login for users is restricted to email/password authentication.
While SSO login is supported for subsequent access (Enterprise plan), the initial hurdle remains.

These limitations pose significant challenges for organizations seeking to fully leverage SSO/OAuth for user lifecycle management. The requirement for manual invitation and email/password login creates friction for new users and undermines the benefits of centralized identity management.

The Login Loop Issue

Disabling email/password login to enforce SSO (as per requirement 1) results in new users being unable to access the system for the first time, thereby violating requirement 2. This leads to a frustrating login loop:

Twenty - [auto login] -> IdP - [login Success] -> Twenty - [Unknown Error] -> Twenty - [auto login] -> ...

This issue arises because the system expects a pre-existing user account before granting access via SSO. When a new user attempts to log in via SSO, the system fails to recognize them, resulting in an authentication error and the aforementioned loop. This not only disrupts the user experience but also highlights a critical gap in the system's ability to handle new user provisioning via SSO.

Technical Analysis of the Issue

Technical investigations reveal that the root cause of this issue lies in how the system handles authentication requests from new users. Specifically, the OIDCAuthGuard expects a user object in the request. However, when a new user attempts to log in for the first time via SSO, no corresponding user account exists in the system. This discrepancy leads to an UnauthorizedException and prevents the user from accessing the platform.

The error logs provide valuable insights into the problem:

Exception Captured
  { workspace: { id: undefined } }
  [
    UnauthorizedException: Unauthorized
        at OIDCAuthGuard.handleRequest (/app/node_modules/@nestjs/passport/dist/auth.guard.js:69:30)
        at /app/node_modules/@nestjs/passport/dist/auth.guard.js:50:128
        at /app/node_modules/@nestjs/passport/dist/auth.guard.js:92:24
        at allFailed (/app/node_modules/passport/lib/middleware/authenticate.js:110:18)
        at attempt (/app/node_modules/passport/lib/middleware/authenticate.js:183:28)
        at strategy.fail (/app/node_modules/passport/lib/middleware/authenticate.js:314:9)
        at /app/node_modules/openid-client/lib/passport_strategy.js:198:12
        at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5) {
      response: { statusCode: 401, message: 'Unauthorized' },
      status: 401,
      options: {}
    }
  ]

This error trace points to a specific line of code within the OIDCAuthGuard where the system checks for an existing user. The absence of a user object in the request triggers the UnauthorizedException, preventing the authentication process from completing successfully.

Expected Behavior: Automated User Provisioning via SSO

To address the current limitations and align with best practices for SSO/OAuth integration, the expected behavior is to automatically create user accounts upon their first login via SSO. This process, known as Just-In-Time (JIT) provisioning, streamlines user onboarding and ensures a seamless experience for new users.

Just-In-Time (JIT) Provisioning

JIT provisioning is a method of automatically creating user accounts the first time a user attempts to access an application via SSO. This eliminates the need for manual user creation and simplifies the onboarding process. When a user logs in via SSO, the system checks if a corresponding user account exists. If not, it creates a new account using information provided by the IdP, such as the user's name, email address, and other relevant attributes.

Leveraging User Information from the IdP

The system should automatically create a new user account using the information available at the userinfo endpoint provided by the IdP. This endpoint typically contains essential user attributes such as name, email address, and other profile information. By leveraging this data, the system can seamlessly provision new user accounts without requiring manual intervention.

Furthermore, it should be possible to configure which claim from the userinfo endpoint to use for specific user attributes. This flexibility allows organizations to customize the user provisioning process based on their specific needs and the attributes provided by their IdP. For example, organizations may choose to use a specific claim for the user's display name or job title.

Streamlined User Onboarding

By implementing JIT provisioning, the user onboarding process becomes significantly more efficient and user-friendly. New users can access the system immediately after logging in via SSO, without the need for manual invitation or account creation. This not only improves the user experience but also reduces the administrative overhead associated with user management.

Technical Solution: Auto-Create Users from SSO Information

The proposed solution involves modifying the authentication process to automatically create user accounts when a new user logs in via SSO. This requires changes to the OIDCAuthGuard and the user provisioning logic within the system.

Modifying the `OIDCAuthGuard`

The OIDCAuthGuard needs to be updated to handle the case where a user object is not present in the request. Instead of immediately returning an UnauthorizedException, the guard should check if the user is attempting to log in via SSO for the first time. If so, it should initiate the user provisioning process.

User Provisioning Logic

The user provisioning logic should extract user information from the userinfo endpoint provided by the IdP. This information can then be used to create a new user account in the system. The system should also provide a configuration option to specify which claim from the userinfo endpoint should be used for each user attribute.

Implementing JIT Provisioning

The JIT provisioning process can be implemented as follows:

When a user attempts to log in via SSO, the OIDCAuthGuard checks if a user object is present in the request.
If no user object is found, the guard retrieves user information from the userinfo endpoint.
The system checks if a user account with the given identifier (e.g., email address) already exists.
If no account exists, a new user account is created using the information from the userinfo endpoint.
The user is then authenticated and granted access to the system.

This process ensures that new users can seamlessly access the system via SSO without requiring manual intervention. By automating user provisioning, organizations can streamline onboarding, improve security, and enhance the user experience.

Non-Technical Implications and Organizational Benefits

The current implementation of user management in Twenty poses significant challenges for organizations that handle sensitive data and are subject to strict compliance requirements. The inability to automatically provision users via SSO and the reliance on manual invitation processes create security risks and operational inefficiencies.

Addressing Security and Compliance Requirements

Organizations that handle PII and sensitive data must ensure that access to these systems is tightly controlled. The current implementation in Twenty does not meet the requirement that users who leave the organization should immediately lose access to data. This is particularly critical for organizations subject to regulations such as GDPR, which mandate strict data protection measures.

The Importance of Centralized Identity Management

For organizations with numerous systems (30 or more), relying on a centralized identity management system (IdP) is crucial. Disabling user access on every system manually is unreliable and carries an unacceptable risk of unauthorized access by former employees. Centralized identity management ensures that user access can be revoked consistently and efficiently across all systems, minimizing the risk of data breaches and compliance violations.

Enhancing Operational Efficiency

Automating user provisioning and deprovisioning through SSO not only improves security but also enhances operational efficiency. Manual user management processes are time-consuming and error-prone. By automating these tasks, organizations can free up IT resources to focus on more strategic initiatives. Furthermore, a streamlined user onboarding process improves the user experience and reduces the time it takes for new users to become productive.

Conclusion: Embracing SSO/OAuth for Secure and Efficient User Management

Managing user lifecycles effectively through SSO/OAuth is paramount for organizations prioritizing security, compliance, and operational efficiency. The current limitations in Twenty's user management system necessitate a shift towards automated user provisioning and centralized identity management. By implementing JIT provisioning and leveraging user information from IdPs, Twenty can provide a more secure, user-friendly, and efficient platform for organizations of all sizes.

In conclusion, the transition to a fully integrated SSO/OAuth model is not merely a technical upgrade but a strategic imperative for modern organizations. By embracing these technologies, organizations can strengthen their security posture, streamline user management, and ensure compliance with evolving data protection regulations. The proposed changes to Twenty's user management system will pave the way for a more secure and efficient platform, enabling organizations to focus on their core business objectives without compromising on data security.