Tutorial: How to Configure SAML with AWS⁠

You need the following to get started:

• AWS IAM Identity Center.

• A deployed Access Server.

With AWS, you must create a custom SAML application.

First, gather information about your Access Server as the service provider (SP).

1. Sign in to your Access Server Admin Web UI.

2. Select Authentication → SAML.

3. You'll need the following information:

   1. SP Identity.

   2. SP ACS.

Now that you have your SP information, you can create a new AWS SAML app and enter that information during app creation:

1. Sign into your AWS portal and open the IAM Identity Center console.

2. Under Application assignments, click Applications.

3. Click Add Application.

4. Under Custom application, click Add custom SAML 2.0 application, and click Next.

5. Under Display name, enter the name of your SAML custom app and an optional Description.

6. Under Application properties, and Application metadata, use the SP information from Access Server to enter the following into the AWS app:

   1. Application ACS URL: Enter the Access Server SP ACS.

   2. Application SAML audience: Enter the Access Server SP Identity.

   3. Relay state - (optional): Enter ‘cws’ for the Client Web UI or ‘profile’ to provide users with a downloadable profile. (See “How to set up IdP-initiated flow” below for more details.)

7. Click Submit.

8. Click Assign Users.

9. Select your users and click Assign Users.

The simplest way to set up AWS SAML for Access Server is by providing the metadata XML file (option 1), but you can also manually configure it (option 2).

Once you’ve provided the SAML configuration for your IdP, you can enable it for users.

1. Sign in to the Admin Web UI.

2. Select Authentication → SAML.

3. Select the toggle to turn on Enable SAML authentication.

4. Select Save Settings and Update Running Server.

You can now enable SAML as the global default authentication or for specific groups and users.

You can configure an IdP-initiated flow for signing into Access Server from AWS with the following steps:

1. Sign in to the AWS admin portal.

2. Under Applications, click your custom SAML app.

3. Under the Actions tab, click edit configuration.

4. Under Application properties, enter one of the following for Relay state - (optional):

   • cws: This directs your users to the Client Web UI after sign-in.

   • profile: This directs your users to a profile download after sign-in.

5. Save changes.

You can automate group assignments for access control rules using a post-authentication Python script.

Refer to the steps in this tutorial:

• Tutorial: How to Set Up SAML Group Mapping with a Post-Auth Script