How to automatic log in user with Entra ID

Question

We have a java web application running on Tomcat. We are updating the web application to use Entra ID for authentication.

Here is what we like to do , let's said I login to outlook.office.com, and when I open my web application in a separate tab, we will like to be able to automatically log in to our web application without having to prompt user for userid/password since I have already logged in to outlook.office.com with the same credential.

Right now when I first log in to our web application using Entra ID, and when I open outlook.office.com on a separate tab, it automatically log me in. I like to do the reverse, i.e. when I logged in to outlook first , and when I open the web app in a separate tab, I will like to be logged in automatically.

What I am having trouble with is to figure out what is required to implement that ? or is there some special configuration to be done when I registered our web application ? I am using MSAL4j.

Answer 1

Hi @Kim Tan
Thank you for reaching Microsoft Q&A Forum!

If I understand correctly, you would like to automate the user login process for your web application using the previous application (outlook) login details.
To achieve this, register your web application with Entra ID, Configure Single sign-on (SSO) settings and assign users and groups to the application.
Single sign-on is an authentication method that allows users to sign in using one set of credentials to multiple independent software systems. Using SSO means a user doesn't have to sign in to every application they use. With SSO, users can access all needed applications without being required to authenticate using different credentials.
For more details to register an application please read Add an enterprise application.
To configure SSO refer Enable SAML single sign-on for an enterprise application there are few other SSO configuration are there which is explain the same document which you can see the left side of the page, choose the suitable configuration based on application type.
By following these steps, you can establish SSO between your applications and allowing users who are already authenticated in one application to access the other application without the need to log in again.

Hope this helps. If this is not your query do let us know by responding in the comments section.

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