Managing SAML X.509 Certificates

This article discusses the management of SAML X.509 certificates, which play a crucial role in validating signatures for SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) connections. These certificates are provided by customers and include public keys that correspond to private keys used by Identity Providers (IdPs). The article explains the process of verifying SAML requests and responses using these certificates, as well as potential issues if they expire. It also recommends best practices for managing certificates, such as setting up alerts before expiration dates, encouraging customers to provide dynamic metadata URLs, and carefully orchestrating the swap-out process. Finally, it introduces WorkOS' Certificate Management Flow, which aims to minimize complications in managing SSO connections and their associated certificates.