OpenVPN® with SAML Authentication on AWS SSO IdP

Overview

This guide provides an example on how to configure Aviatrix to authenticate against AWS SSO IdP. When SAML client is used, your Aviatrix controller acts as the Identity Service Provider (ISP) that redirects browser traffic from client to IdP (e.g., AWS SSO) for authentication.

Pre-Deployment Checklist

Before configuring SAML integration between Aviatrix and AWS SSO, make sure the following is completed:

  1. Aviatrix Controller is setup and running.
  2. Have a valid AWS account with AWS SSO enabled.
  3. Download and install the Aviatrix SAML VPN client.

Aviatrix Controller

If you haven’t already deployed the Aviatrix controller, follow the Controller Startup Guide and start with a Metered AMI.

AWS Account with AWS SSO Enabled

Enable AWS SSO on your AWS account before continuing with the configuration.

Tip

If your AWS account is a consolidated account, you cannot set up SSO. SSO can only be enabled with a master account.

Aviatrix VPN Client

All users must use the Aviatrix VPN client to connect to the system. Download the client for your OS here.

Configuration Steps

Follow these steps to configure Aviatrix to authenticate against your AWS SSO IDP:

  1. Create a AWS SSO SAML Application for Aviatrix in the AWS Console
  2. Create a SAML Endpoint in the Aviatrix Controller

AWS SSO Custom SAML Application (Part 1)

Before you start, pick a short name to be used for the SAML application name. In the notes below we will refer to this as aviatrix_awssso. But, it can be any string.

We will use the string you select for the SAML application name to generate a URL for AWS SSO to connect with Aviatrix. This URL is defined below as SP_ACS_URL. This URL should be constructed as:

https://<<<your controller ip or host name>>>/flask/saml/sso/<<<aviatrix_awssso>>>

Tip

Replace <<<your controller ip or host name>>> with the actual host name or IP address of your controller and <<<aviatrix_awssso>>> with the string you chose to refer to the SAML application.

  1. Login to your AWS console

  2. Go to the AWS Single Sign-On service

  3. Add a new Application (Applications > Add a new application)

    imageAddAppsMenu

  4. Click Custom SAML 2.0 application

    imageSelectCustom

  5. Enter a Display Name

  6. Copy the AWS SSO SAML metadata file URL

    imageCopyURL

Aviatrix Controller SAML Endpoint

  1. Login to your Aviatrix Controller

  2. Enable SAML. Go to OpenVPN® -> Edit Config -> MODIFY AUTHENTICATION. Select SAML. Skip this step if you have already done so.

  3. Expand OpenVPN, select Advanced in the navigation menu

  4. Go to the SAML tab

  5. Click + Add New button

  6. Follow the table below for details on the fields in the table:

    Field Description
    Endpoint Name aviatrix_awssso
    IPD Metadata Type URL
    IDP Metadata Text/URL Paste in the AWS SSO SAML metadata file URL copied earlier from AWS SSO dashboard.
    Entity ID Select Hostname
    Custom SAML Request Template Checked

    add_saml_endpoint

  7. Remove the XML element <samlp:NameIDPolicy>..</samlp:NameIDPolicy>

    Note

    This is required to connect with AWS SSO. If you don’t do this, you will receive an error message when testing.

  8. Click OK

  9. Right click on the SP Metadata button next to the SAML endpoint just created and save the file to your local machine.

    imageSPMetadataURL

    Tip

    Save this XML file to your local machine. It will be used in the next step.

AWS SSO Custom SAML Application (Part 2)

Return back to the AWS SSO console

  1. Scroll to Application metadata

  2. Browse... to the SP Metadata file saved in the previous step

  3. Leave the Application start URL blank

  4. Click Save changes

    imageAppMetadata

Add Attribute Mappings

  1. Click on the Attribute mappings tab

  2. Add the following attributes:

    User attribute in the application Maps to this string value or user attribute in the AWS SSO
    FirstName ${user:givenName}
    LastName ${user:familyName}
    Email ${user:email}

As shown below:

attribute_mapping
  1. Click Save changes

Validate

Tip

Be sure to assign users to the new application in AWS Signle Sign-on service prior to validating. You can use AWS SSO Directory service under AWS SSO page to assign users. If you do not assign your test user to the Aviatrix User VPN application, you will receive an error.

You can quickly validate that the configuration is complete by clicking on the Test button next to the SAML endpoint.

imageAvtxTestButton