GlobalProtect
Use the Default System Browser for SAML Authentication
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GlobalProtect Docs
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- 10.1 & Later
- 9.1
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- 6.2
- 6.1
- 6.0
- 5.3
- 5.2
- 5.1
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- 6.1
- 6.0
- 5.2
- 5.1
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- 6.2
- 6.1
- 6.0
- 5.3
- 5.2
- 5.1
Use the Default System Browser for SAML Authentication
Use the default system browser for SAML authentication
for GlobalProtect.
If you have configured the GlobalProtect portal
to authenticate users through SAML authentication, end users can
connect to the app or other SAML-enabled applications without having
to re-enter their credentials, for a seamless single sign-on (SSO)
experience. End users can benefit from using the default system
browser for SAML authentication because they can leverage the same
login for GlobalProtect with their saved user credentials on the
default system browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.
In
addition, on any browser that supports the Web Authentication (WebAuthn) API,
you can use the Univeral 2nd Factor (U2F) security tokens such as
YubiKeys for multi-factor authentication (MFA) to identify providers
(ldPs) such as Onelogin or Okta.
This feature is supported
for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, and iOS devices starting
with GlobalProtect™ app 5.2.
- Change the pre-deployed settings on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, and iOS endpoints to use the default system browser for SAML authentication.You must set the pre-deployed settings on the client endpoints before you can enable the default system browser for SAML authentication. GlobalProtect retrieves these entries only once, when the GlobalProtect app initializes.If there is no pre-deployed value specified on the end users’ Windows or macOS endpoints when using the default system browser for SAML authentication, theUse Default Browser for SAML Authenticationoption is set toYesin the portal configuration, and users upgrade the app from release 5.0.x or release 5.1.x to release 5.2.0 for the first time, the app will open an embedded browser instead of the default system browser. After users connect to the GlobalProtect app and theUse Default Browser for SAML Authenticationoption is set toYesin the portal configuration, the app will open the default system browser on Windows and macOS endpoints at the next login.If thedefault browservalue is set toYesin the pre-deployed setting of the client machine and theUse Default Browser for SAML Authenticationoption is set toNoin the portal configuration, end users will not have the best user experience. The app will open the default system browser for SAML authentication for the first time. Because the default browser values differ between the client machine and the portal, the app detects a mismatch and opens an embedded browser at the next login.TheUse Default Browser for SAML Authenticationoption of the Globalprotect portal and the pre-deployed settings in the client machine must have the same value to provide the best user experience.
- On Windows endpoints, you can use the System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) to pre-deploy the GlobalProtect app 5.2 and set theDEFAULTBROWSERvalue toyesfrom the Windows Installer (Msiexec) using the following syntax:msiexec.exe /i GlobalProtect.msi DEFAULTBROWSER=YESOn macOS endpoints, set thedefault-browservalue toyesin the macOS plist (/Library/Preferences/com.paloaltonetworks.GlobalProtect.settings.plist) for the GlobalProtect app using the following syntax:sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.paloaltonetworks.GlobalProtect.settings.plist '{"Palo Alto Networks" ={GlobalProtect={Settings={default-browser=yes;};};};}'You must specify the plist key to launch the default system browser for SAML authentication after GlobalProtect app 5.2 is installed.After you add the plist key, you must restart the GlobalProtect app in order for the plist key to take effect. After you restart the GlobalProtect app, the default system browser for SAML authentication launches. To restart the GlobalProtect app:
- Launch the Finder.
- Open the Applications folder:
- From the Finder sidebar, selectApplications. If you do not seeApplicationsin the Finder sidebar, selectfrom the Finder menu bar.GoApplications
- Open the Utilities folder.
- Launch Terminal.
- Execute the following commands:username>$ launchctl unload -S Aqua /Library/LaunchAgents/com.paloaltonetworks.gp.pangpa.plist username>$ launchctl unload -S Aqua /Library/LaunchAgents/com.paloaltonetworks.gp.pangps.plist username>$ launchctl load -S Aqua /Library/LaunchAgents/com.paloaltonetworks.gp.pangpa.plist username>$ launchctl load -S Aqua /Library/LaunchAgents/com.paloaltonetworks.gp.pangps.plist
On Linux endpoints, set thedefault-browservalue toyesin the/opt/paloaltonetworks/globalprotect/pangps.xmlpre-deployment configuration file under<Settings>. After you add thedefault-browservalue, follow the pre-deployment instructions before you reboot the Linux endpoint in order for the change to take effect.On Android and iOS endpoints, create a VPN profile by using the supported mobile device management system (MDM) such as Workspace ONE.- Log in to Workspace ONE UEM as an administrator.
- Select an existing VPN profile () in the list.DevicesProfiles & ResourcesProfiles
- SelectVPNto add a VPN profile.On Android endpoints, enter theCustom Data Key(use_default_browser_for_saml). Enter theCustom Data Value(true).On iOS endpoints, enter theCustom Data Key(saml-use-default-browser). Enter theCustom Data Value(true).
- ClickSave and Publishto save your changes.
Set up SAML authentication to authenticate users.In order for the default system browser for SAML authentication to not open multiple tabs for each connection, we recommend that you configure an authentication override. For more information, see Cookie Authentication on the Portal or Gateway.Enable the GlobalProtect app so that end users can leverage the same login for GlobalProtect and their default system browser for SAML authentication.- Select.NetworkGlobalProtectPortals<portal-config>Agent<agent-config>AppUse Default Browser for SAML Authentication
- SelectYesto enable the GlobalProtect app to open the default system browser for SAML authentication.If single-sign-on (SSO) is enabled, we recommend that you disable it. SetUse Single Sign-On (Windows)orUse Single Sign-On (macOS)toNoto disable single sign-on when using the default system browser for SAML authentication.
ClickOKtwice.Committhe configuration.Verify that end users can successfully authenticate to the ldP using their saved credentials.- SelectRefresh Connection,Connect, orEnableon the GlobalProtect app to initiate the connection.A new tab on the default browser of the system will open for SAML authentication.
- Login using the username and password to authenticate on the ldP.
- After end users can successfully authenticate on the ldP, clickOpen GlobalProtect.
- Connect to the GlobalProtect app or other SAML-enabled applications without re-entering the user credentials.