#IdP An [[Identity Provider]] ([[Identity Provider|IdP]]) is a service or system that manages and provides identity information for users. It authenticates users and issues them digital identities, which can be used to access various applications, systems, and services. The IdP acts as a trusted source of user credentials and attributes, allowing users to authenticate themselves once and then use those credentials across multiple platforms without the need for separate usernames and passwords. Identity Providers often use popular authentication protocols such as SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) or OpenID Connect to enable secure communication between the IdP and the service providers (SPs) that rely on the IdP for user authentication. This allows users to have a seamless single sign-on experience, where they can access multiple SPs using their identity credentials from the IdP. Some examples of Identity Providers include Google, Facebook, Microsoft Azure Active Directory, Okta, and Ping Identity. These providers offer authentication services to many different applications and websites, simplifying the login process for users while ensuring security and privacy.