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MCC Daily Tribune

Why Am I Logging In So Often?

Do you find yourself being prompted to log in several times per day even though MCC has Single Sign-On (SSO)? This is not how SSO is designed to work, and your web browsing habits may be at the root of the issue!  Simply changing how you work in your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari) can significantly reduce the number of times you are required to log in.

In a nutshell, if you want to reduce the frequency of logins:

  • Close your browser window at the end of each day and start fresh the next day
  • When you are done with Banner browser tabs, close them by clicking on the x in the corner
  • Don’t use the log off/sign out button in any web app (especially Banner)
  • Select Keep Me Signed In (KMSI) when you authenticate (after entering your password and MFA (Multifactor Authentication))
  • Don't restore old browser tabs from History

Background Detail:

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a process by which you get a browser cookie from our Microsoft identity setup saying that you are who you say you are. This cookie is then used by various applications that we have tied into the same service so that you are able to seamlessly get into further apps after logging into the first one without having to log in again. In addition to using SSO to minimize the number of logins, you can select “keep me signed in” (KMSI) after you enter your password and MFA, which gives you a longer lasting cookie that remains in that browser for up to two weeks (unless you log out).

Some apps (including all Banner apps, but not all SSO apps) will automatically log you out after a period of time, known as a Single Log-Out (SLO), thus removing the cookie that tells apps that you are jdoe@monroecc.edu. This can and does happen in the background and will even end your KMSI cookie. For anyone who keeps tabs open or doesn’t close their browser, these SLOs are happening in the background in the open tabs, creating more frequent log in prompts. Restoring old browser sessions can also lead to this problem.

Single Sign-On expected log in frequency

  • Browser-based web apps (assumes a shared browser session between apps and that no logoffs have occurred)
    • Requires log in daily (24h), except/unless
      • Banner applications require re-authentication every eight (8) hours due to the sensitivity of the data in those systems.
      • If the user checks "keep me signed in" (KMSI) and then closes out SSO tabs before Single Log-Out occurs, their browser should remain signed into the Microsoft account for 14 days.
      • MyMCC also sets its own cookie which lasts ~30 days, but this has no effect on any other service tied to your Microsoft account.
  • Independent "full applications", such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams
    • Requires log in every 14 days
  • Stateless applications (currently only includes Cisco AnyConnect VPN)
    • Requires log in every time using UserID, Password, MFA

Eileen Wirley
Technology Services - AVP Office
02/16/2024