Which component does the Service Provider rely on to obtain the user's identity in a federated system?

Which component does the Service Provider rely on to obtain the user's identity in a federated system?

• A. Identity Provider (IdP)
• B. Identity Store
• C. Directory Service
• D. Credential

Answer: (A)

In federation, the Service Provider relies on a trusted Identity Provider to verify who the user is. The IdP authenticates the user and issues an identity assertion (such as a SAML assertion or an OAuth/OpenID Connect ID token) that the SP uses to establish the user’s identity and attributes. The SP does not handle the user’s credentials directly; it trusts the IdP to confirm identity and provide the needed attributes. While an Identity Store or Directory Service may hold the underlying user data and a Credential is what the user presents to prove who they are, the piece the SP depends on to obtain the user’s identity in a federated setup is the Identity Provider.

In federation, the Service Provider relies on a trusted Identity Provider to verify who the user is. The IdP authenticates the user and issues an identity assertion (such as a SAML assertion or an OAuth/OpenID Connect ID token) that the SP uses to establish the user’s identity and attributes. The SP does not handle the user’s credentials directly; it trusts the IdP to confirm identity and provide the needed attributes. While an Identity Store or Directory Service may hold the underlying user data and a Credential is what the user presents to prove who they are, the piece the SP depends on to obtain the user’s identity in a federated setup is the Identity Provider.