At a Glance
- Financial sector - authentication meeting banking security and compliance standards
- Strict session security - configurable timeouts and secure token management
- Audit-ready logging - authentication events logged for compliance requirements
- Zero separate passwords - employees use existing corporate credentials
Lead Web Engineer responsible for building a custom SAML Single Sign-On plugin for Columbia Bank’s Craft CMS website (via Solspace Inc.). As a regional financial institution, Columbia Bank required authentication that met the heightened security expectations of the banking sector.
The Challenge
Financial institutions operate under stricter security requirements than typical enterprises. The integration needed to:
- Meet banking security standards: Session management, token handling, and authentication flows needed to align with financial sector expectations
- Integrate with corporate infrastructure: The bank’s internal identity provider managed access across multiple internal systems
- Provide secure internal access: Bank employees needed authenticated access to website management tools
- Support compliance requirements: Authentication events needed proper logging for potential audit purposes
What I Built
Secure SAML Authentication Plugin:
- Custom Craft CMS plugin implementing SAML 2.0 protocol with strict security configuration
- Integration with the bank’s corporate identity provider
- Proper assertion validation and signature verification
Session Security:
- Configurable session timeout aligned with bank security policies
- Secure token handling preventing session hijacking
- Proper session termination on logout across systems
User Synchronization:
- Automatic provisioning of employee accounts based on identity provider attributes
- Role mapping connecting bank department/position to CMS permissions
- User data updates on each authentication event
Outcome
The integration enabled Columbia Bank employees to access and manage website content using their corporate credentials, eliminating separate password management while meeting the security standards expected in financial services. The solution integrated seamlessly with their existing identity infrastructure and security policies.
Business Impact:
- Employees no longer maintain separate website credentials
- Authentication events properly logged for potential audits
- Session security aligned with bank’s internal policies
- User provisioning happens automatically based on corporate directory
Interested in Similar Work?
If you're looking for similar solutions or want to discuss your project, I'd be happy to help.
Implemented solutions:
- Single Sign-On
- Flexible Content Management
- Automatic Data Synchronization
- Website Security Optimization