SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) is an XML-based open standard for exchanging authentication and authorisation data between an identity provider (IdP) and a service provider (SP). It enables single sign-on by allowing the identity provider to assert a user's identity and attributes to multiple service providers without the user needing to authenticate separately with each one.
SAML remains widely deployed in enterprise environments, particularly for web-based applications and SaaS platforms. It supports compliance requirements around centralised identity management and access logging, making it easier to enforce consistent authentication policies, conduct access reviews and maintain audit trails across the application landscape.