SAMLn

SAMLn is a term occasionally used in vendor documentation and technical discussions to refer to an extended or non-standard variant of the Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML). It is not an official specification published by OASIS, and its exact meaning can vary by context. In many cases, SAMLn is used informally to indicate SAML-based single sign-on features or to denote proprietary extensions claimed to augment SAML 2.0 capabilities. Because there is no unified definition, readers should consult the specific product or vendor literature when encountering the term.

Overview of SAMLn context: SAML, in general, is an XML-based framework for exchanging authentication and authorization data between an identity provider (IdP) and a service provider (SP). Core artifacts are digitally signed assertions transported over standard web bindings (for example, HTTP-Redirect and HTTP-POST) and processed according to defined profiles such as Web Browser SSO. A deployment typically relies on trusted metadata, certificates, and trust relationships between IdPs and SPs.

Notes on interoperability and design considerations: Because SAMLn lacks a formal standard, implementations described as SAMLn may not interoperate with other vendors that implement only official SAML 2.0 profiles. When evaluating SAMLn, verify the exact scope, whether it uses standard SAML 2.0 assertions and bindings, and what (if any) proprietary extensions are involved, such as additional claims, enhanced user attributes, or nonstandard binding support. Security considerations include assertion signing, encryption, key management, and support for single logout.