---
type: entity
title: Shibboleth
tags: [authentication, sso, identity-management]
related: ["zentraler-nutzeraccount", "central-authentication-and-authorization", "single-sign-on", "identity-card"]
created: 2026-06-30
updated: 2026-06-30
sources: ["output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_allgemein_dfn_pki_zertifikate.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_allgemein_shibboleth.md"]
---

# Shibboleth

**Shibboleth** is a central authentication and authorization service provided by the [[universitatsrechenzentrum-urz]] for web applications and web services at the Universität Greifswald. It is used to provide Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities.

## Purpose and Benefits
The primary goal of Shibboleth is to allow university users to access a variety of services using a single set of credentials (the [[zentraler-nutzeraccount]]). 

A key operational benefit is the removal of the requirement for a VPN connection when accessing licensed databases and online publications from external locations; authentication is now handled entirely through the web browser.

## Integration and Use Cases
Shibboleth is utilized for both internal and external services:

### External Services
- **Licensed Databases**: Access is provided via the [[universitatsbibliothek-ub]].
- **Certificate Management**: It is used to authenticate users attempting to access the [[harica]] portal via an **Academic Login**, ensuring that only authorized university members can request certificates.

### Internal Services
- Integration is being expanded to include [[lsf]] and [[moodle]].

## Operational Features
- **Privacy**: Uses an [[identity-card]] mechanism to ensure users are aware of and consent to the data being shared with a service provider.
- **Session Management**: Supports [[single-sign-on]], though it lacks a corresponding single-sign-out feature.

## Support
Support for Shibboleth is provided by the URZ via the [[groupware]] ticket system.