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Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) is a standard that defines a language to exchange security information between partners. The SAML standard is driven by the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). SAML uses assertions that contain statements about a subject, authentication, authorization and attributes.

SAML Token Profile is developed by the OASIS Web Services Security (WS Security) Technical Committee as a standard to integrate and use SAML for Web Services security.

Although the SAML token profile, SAML browser artifact, and SAML 2.0 all use the SAML standard for transferring security information, they are used for different authentication purposes, as described below:

  • SAML token profiles are used for WS access authentication at the SOAP message level.

  • SAML 2.0 and SAML browser artifacts are used for authenticating Web-based access from a Web browser.