
## Extend Crowd-Based Authentication and User Management to Jenkins {#authentication-and-user-management-to-jenkins}

While Crowd works as an identity provider for Atlassian apps like Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket without any hitch, extending this unified authentication model to external tools like Jenkins isn’t as straightforward.

Jenkins, being a non-Atlassian system, doesn’t natively support Crowd sessions, making it difficult to enforce the same access control policies or streamline authentication across your toolchain.

This is where the [miniOrange Jenkins SAML SSO app](https://www.miniorange.com/atlassian/jenkins-single-sign-on) comes into the picture, it enables teams to configure **Crowd as the SAML Identity Provider (IdP) for Jenkins**, allowing for true single sign-on (SSO) across Atlassian and DevOps environments.

The app uses existing Crowd sessions and user permissions to streamline access, eliminating redundant admin work and identity silos.

This article walks through how this integration works, why it’s valuable, and how real teams are using it today.

## The Problem: Fragmented Access Across Atlassian and Jenkins {#problem}

For engineering teams that are already using Crowd to authenticate users across Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket, extending that same one-click access experience to Jenkins can become challenging.

Jenkins does not natively integrate with Atlassian Crowd.

As a result:

- Developers need to maintain separate credentials
- Admins need to manage duplicate user records and permissions
- Identity lifecycle events (like deactivation) need to be manually tracked
- Security teams are unable to effectively enforce consistent SSO or MFA policies across the board

In a security-sensitive devops environment, this fragmented access experience creates a lot of friction and risk.

## The Solution: Jenkins SSO with Crowd as IdP {#solution}

miniOrange recognized this integration gap, and built a solution to bridge it. With the miniOrange [Jenkins SAML SSO app](https://www.miniorange.com/atlassian/jenkins-single-sign-on), you can configure Atlassian Crowd as the SAML Identity Provider (IdP) for your Jenkins instance, thereby extending your Atlassian instance’s centralized authentication structure beyond the ecosystem.

What does this mean for your team?

- Users log into Jenkins with their existing Crowd credentials, no need to maintain separate credentials for Jenkins and Atlassian.
- Authentication is handled directly by Crowd, maintaining a single source of truth for identity.
- Access permissions and roles in Jenkins are dynamically mapped based on Crowd groups.
- Admins save a lot of time and effort by managing users and policies in one place instead of two.

The SSO app makes Jenkins a part of your centralized identity and access ecosystem, without introducing an external IdP like Okta or Azure AD.

## Architecture Overview: How It Works {#architecture-overview}

Here’s what a successful SSO flow looks like in this integration:

1. A user navigates to Jenkins and initiates login
2. The Jenkins SSO plugin redirects the request to Crowd (the SAML IdP)
3. Crowd authenticates the user (via its internal directory or LDAP)
4. Crowd issues a signed SAML assertion and sends it back to Jenkins
5. Jenkins validates the assertion and logs the user in
6. Group membership in Crowd determines the user’s Jenkins permissions
7. Admins can customize or hide the Jenkins login page and redirect users directly to Crowd for seamless authentication

## Why Not Just Use LDAP or an External IAM? {#ldap-or-external-iam}

It’s a valid question—especially when Jenkins already supports LDAP and many organizations are investing in external identity providers like Okta or Microsoft Entra ID. But if **Atlassian Crowd is already your source of truth**, introducing another IAM layer often leads to more complexity, not less.

### The Problem with LDAP-Based Authentication in Jenkins

While LDAP plugins for Jenkins are commonly used, they come with significant limitations when it comes to enterprise-grade access control:

- **No seamless user sync**: You still have to manually provision users in Jenkins or write scripts to sync them from LDAP.
- **Limited role mapping**: Jenkins has no native understanding of Crowd group structures or role hierarchies, which means admins must reconfigure access policies separately.
- **Outdated protocol**: LDAP lacks modern authentication features like SAML assertions, session controls, and federated identity—leaving gaps in your security posture.

### The Downside of External IAMs

IAM platforms like Okta or Entra ID offer robust SSO capabilities, but they’re not always the right fit when your user and group data already resides in Crowd:

- **Redundant user directories**: You’ll end up duplicating user records across IAMs, increasing the risk of sync errors and stale permissions.
- **Lost RBAC logic**: Any group-role mappings you’ve set in Crowd won’t automatically carry over—you’d need to replicate that logic in the external IAM.
- **Added complexity**: Integrating an entirely separate IAM solution into Jenkins and Crowd requires additional licensing, configuration, and ongoing maintenance.

**To sum it up**: if your users already log into Jira, Confluence, or Bitbucket via Crowd, and you’ve already built your permission model there, using Crowd as your SAML IdP for Jenkins is the cleanest and most efficient approach. It lets you extend your existing identity architecture to Jenkins without rework or compromises.

## Configuration Overview: Setting Up Jenkins SSO with Crowd as IdP {#configuration-overview}

Connecting Jenkins to Crowd using the miniOrange SAML SSO plugin is a straightforward process that builds on your existing identity architecture. Here’s how it works:

**1. Install the miniOrange SAML SSO Plugin for Jenkins**

The plugin supports Jenkins LTS and open-source distributions, and is easily installed from the Jenkins plugin manager.

**2. Configure SAML in Jenkins**

Set up the plugin with the SAML metadata provided by Crowd:

- **SAML Login URL**
- **Entity ID**
- **X.509 Certificate**

This tells Jenkins to recognize Crowd as a trusted Identity Provider (IdP).

**3. Configure Crowd as a SAML IdP**

Within Crowd, define Jenkins as a Service Provider by:

- Providing the ACS (Assertion Consumer Service) URL from Jenkins
- Mapping key user attributes like username, email, and group
- Enabling group-to-role mapping so Crowd groups can determine access levels in Jenkins

**4. Test and Verify**

After configuration:

- Log in to Jenkins
- Users should be redirected to Crowd, authenticated, and seamlessly logged into Jenkins with the correct role assignments

This setup works alongside existing Crowd-based SSO configurations for Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket, allowing for a consistent and centralized access model across your Atlassian and DevOps tools.

## Security Advantages of This Setup {#security-advantages}

Beyond convenience, this integration has several security benefits:

- **Centralized Authentication**: Password policies, login restrictions, and session controls are applied at the Crowd level
- **Reduced Credential Sprawl**: No need for separate Jenkins logins
- **Just-in-Time Provisioning**: No dormant accounts lingering in Jenkins
- **MFA Compatibility**: You can apply MFA at the Crowd level and extend it to Jenkins
- **Single Logout (SLO)**: Optionally terminate sessions across applications when a user logs out from one

In short, Jenkins becomes part of your secure identity perimeter — not an outlier.

## Real-World Scenario: Scaling Jenkins Without Duplicating Identity Infrastructure {#real-world-scenario}

A fast-growing software company was rapidly expanding its DevOps pipeline, and Jenkins adoption was increasing across engineering teams. With hundreds of users to onboard and strict compliance requirements in place, the IT team had to make a decision:

Should they rebuild access controls in Jenkins from scratch, adopt a new IAM platform just for Jenkins, or extend their existing identity setup in Atlassian Crowd?

They chose the most streamlined and secure option:

**Configure Crowd as the Identity Provider (IdP) for Jenkins using the miniOrange Jenkins SSO plugin.**

Here’s how the solution was implemented:

- Users were authenticated directly in Crowd using existing SAML sessions
- Crowd groups were mapped to Jenkins roles, ensuring consistent access control
- No duplicate user accounts were created, and no new IAM layer was added

**The outcome:**

- Fast, zero-effort onboarding for new users
- Role-based permissions aligned with those in Jira and Confluence
- A unified audit trail maintained through Crowd
- A simplified architecture with fewer components to manage

This solution is now live in production, supporting thousands of daily SSO requests to Jenkins—without the need for separate user management or external IdPs. Crowd remains the single source of truth for identity across the organization.

## Frequently Asked Questions {#faqs}

**Q. Can I use this integration without a third-party IDP?**

Yes. Crowd itself acts as the Identity Provider in this setup. No need for Okta, Azure AD, or Ping unless you choose to connect those to Crowd separately.

**Q. Can I use this setup with Jenkins running inside containers or behind a reverse proxy?**

Yes. The miniOrange app supports containerized Jenkins deployments and reverse proxies like NGINX or Apache. Just ensure the ACS URL and Entity ID are reachable and consistent across environments.

**Q. Does this plugin support SAML logout and session expiry?**

Yes. The plugin supports SAML Single Logout (SLO) and respects session expiry and logout signals issued by Crowd.

## Conclusion: A Unified Identity Layer Across Atlassian and Jenkins {#conclusion}

If your organization already relies on Crowd as the identity provider for Jira, Confluence, or Bitbucket, extending that centralized control to Jenkins is the next logical step.

With the **miniOrange Jenkins SAML SSO plugin**, you can:

- **Unify authentication** across Atlassian and Jenkins using Crowd
- **Preserve role-based access control** without duplicating users
- **Eliminate login friction** for developers working across your CI/CD pipeline
- **Strengthen security and simplify audits** with one centralized identity layer

This integration is not a stopgap — it’s a robust, production-ready architecture built for teams that prioritize security, scalability, and operational efficiency.

If you're ready to modernize Jenkins authentication without reengineering your identity stack, miniOrange makes it possible.


Engineering teams using Atlassian tools often centralize access through Crowd. However, when CI/CD enters the picture with Jenkins, keeping identities centralized becomes challenging as the integration requires you to perform separate logins, and maintain multiple credentials as well as role configurations.

How to Enforce SSO in Jenkins with Atlassian Crowd as the SAML Identity Provider


## Automate User Provisioning in Atlassian apps with miniOrange User Sync {#Automate User Provisioning in Atlassian apps }

Managing user access across multiple Atlassian apps can be a daunting task, especially as your organization scales. Studies show that around [30% of user licenses are unused](https://track.g2.com/resources/license-management-statistics) due to manual deactivation delays, leading to increased costs and security risks. Automating user provisioning can save time, reduce errors, and help manage licenses more efficiently.

One of the most effective ways to streamline user management in Atlassian apps is by leveraging user sync with miniOrange’s SCIM Provisioning, User Sync & Group Sync. This approach not only automates user provisioning but also ensures that users have the correct permissions at all times.

### What is SCIM Provisioning? {#what-is-scim-provisioning}

SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management) is an open standard protocol that automates user provisioning and deprovisioning across cloud applications. It enables seamless synchronization of user identities and attributes between identity providers (IdPs) and service providers.

#### Importance of SCIM in User Management

Managing user identities manually across multiple cloud services can be error-prone and time-consuming. As organizations grow and adopt more SaaS applications, the complexity of user management increases. SCIM simplifies this process by automating the creation, update, and removal of user accounts, improving efficiency.

#### Why SCIM Matters:
    
* Automates user lifecycle management.
* Reduces manual errors and inconsistencies.
* Ensures real-time updates to user access.
* Reduces IT workload, enabling focus on strategic tasks.   

**How SCIM Works in Practice**

SCIM operates by sending HTTPs requests to the connected applications whenever there is a change in the identity provider (IdP), such as the creation, update, or deactivation of a user account. This real-time synchronization ensures that user data and access rights are kept accurate without manual updation.

**Step-by-Step Process:**

* **User Event Trigger:** An event occurs in the IdP, such as adding, updating, or deactivating a user.
* **SCIM API Call:** The SCIM protocol sends a HTTPs request to the connected application.
* **Data Sync:** The application updates the user data, role, or permission based on the received data and sends an unique identifier to the IdP.
* **Confirmation:** The system verifies the update, ensuring that changes are accurately reflected.

You can also configure SCIM for Atlassian Data Center using our [step-by-step guide](https://www.miniorange.com/atlassian/scim-and-rest-api-user-provisioning-documentation). 

**Real-World Example**

Imagine a large enterprise with thousands of employees using Atlassian apps like Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket. When a new hire joins, the IT team traditionally needs to manually create user accounts, assign appropriate roles, and ensure permissions align with organizational policies. This manual process can take hours or even days.

With SCIM provisioning, when HR adds a new employee to the central identity provider (like Azure AD), SCIM automatically triggers user account creation in all connected Atlassian apps. The new hire has instant access to the necessary tools, improving onboarding efficiency.


### Benefits of Using SCIM Provisioning {#benifits-of-scim-provisioning}

**1.Efficiency and Automation** : Manual user provisioning can take several hours per user, especially in large organizations. With SCIM, the entire process is automated. Once SCIM is configured, users are automatically added, updated, or removed based on changes in the identity provider (IdP).
This means HR teams can onboard new employees without the need for IT intervention, and offboarding becomes seamless, reducing errors and speeding up the entire process.

**2.Improved Security** : Security risks increase when user accounts are not properly managed. Employees who leave the company or change roles may retain access to sensitive data if their accounts are not updated promptly. SCIM automates the deprovisioning process, instantly revoking access when a user’s status changes in the IdP. This eliminates the possibility of orphaned accounts and ensures that only authorized users have access.

**3.Cost Savings** : Unused or inactive licenses can inflate software costs significantly. SCIM ensures that licenses are reclaimed as soon as a user account is deactivated. By automating the removal of inactive accounts, organizations avoid paying for unused seats, optimizing their license management.

**4.Consistency Across Platforms** : One of the biggest challenges in large enterprises is maintaining consistent access policies across multiple applications. With SCIM, changes made in the IdP are propagated automatically to all connected apps. This means role changes, group updates, and user deletions are reflected in every system without manual adjustments.

**5.Real-Time Synchronization** : SCIM ensures that user data across all connected apps is consistently up to date. Whether a user changes their name, department, or role, the changes are instantly reflected in all linked applications, maintaining accurate access control.

**6.Granular Access Control** : SCIM supports the mapping of user attributes and group memberships, allowing precise control over who can access specific resources. This is essential for organizations with complex role hierarchies or multi-departmental structures.

### Use Cases and Scenarios {#use-cases-scenarios}

**1.Onboarding New Employees** : Automate the creation of user accounts when a new hire is added to the IDP. Ensure that all necessary apps are accessible from day one. 

**2.Offboarding Departed Staff** : When an employee leaves, miniOrange userSync automatically deactivates their account and revokes all permissions. This eliminates potential security risks from lingering access.

**3.Departmental Transfers** : When an employee switches departments, their role and access change. miniOrange userSync updates group memberships and permissions, reducing errors.

**4.Temporary Access for Contractors** : Grant temporary access to contractors or consultants, and automatically revoke it after the project ends.

**5.Seasonal Workforce Management** : Efficiently manage accounts for seasonal employees, ensuring they have access during their tenure and are deactivated when not needed.

**6.Emergency Access Revocation** : In case of a data breach or insider threat, instantly disable user accounts to secure sensitive data.

### Why Choose miniOrange for SCIM Provisioning in Atlassian Apps {#why-choose-miniorange}

miniOrange’s [SCIM Provisioning, User Sync & Group Sync for Atlassian Suite](https://www.miniorange.com/atlassian/atlassian-user-and-group-sync) is the preferred choice for automating user provisioning and synchronization in Atlassian environments due to its robust integration with leading identity providers like Azure AD, Okta, OneLogin, and G Suite. 

The platform offers seamless synchronization of users and groups, allowing administrators to manage user accounts from a central identity provider effortlessly. This centralized management reduces errors, saves time, and ensures that all user accounts across Atlassian apps are accurate and up to date.

One of the standout features of miniOrange userSync is its flexible and configurable provisioning options. Administrators can choose between manual, automatic, or on-login synchronization based on their specific needs. 

Whether it’s importing new users, updating existing profiles, or deactivating inactive accounts, miniOrange’s SCIM provides precise control. This flexibility helps organizations maintain a consistent and secure user management process while minimizing manual intervention. 

Check out how miniOrange’s SCIM user provisioning for Atlassian has helped [customers simplify user management](https://www.miniorange.com/atlassian/scim-with-native-sso-for-t-mobile). 

### Features Offered by miniOrange User Sync for Atlassian {#user-sync-features}

[miniOrange’s SCIM User Provisioning](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1222000/mo-scim-provisioning-user-sync-group-sync-for-jira?hosting=cloud&tab=overview) offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to enhance user provisioning and synchronization within Atlassian apps. Here are the key features that make it an ideal solution:

**1.Seamless Integration with Major IDPs** : Easily connects with Azure AD, Okta, OneLogin, and G Suite for automatic user and group provisioning into Atlassian apps.

**2.Manual Group Mapping** : Unlike Atlassian’s native SCIM which only supports automatic group provisioning based on matching names, miniOrange allows manual group mapping. This ensures users are assigned to the correct groups—even when group names differ between the Identity Provider and Atlassian—offering finer control over role assignments and access levels.

**3.Attribute Mapping** : Map standard attributes like name, email, username, and department from your IDP directly to user profiles in Jira or Confluence.

**4.Custom Attribute Mapping** : Define and map custom user attributes beyond the standard fields. Whether you need to sync titles, locations, or custom-defined fields specific to your workflows, miniOrange supports advanced mapping flexibility.

**5.Flexible Provisioning Modes** : Choose from manual, automatic, or on-login user synchronization to suit your organizational processes. This flexibility allows administrators to maintain control while automating repetitive tasks.

**6.Scheduled and Real-Time Sync** : Enable scheduled syncs for regular updates or real-time provisioning to reflect identity changes instantly across your Atlassian apps.

**7.User and Group Filtering** : Filter which users or groups should be synced based on group memberships or custom filters, helping you target only the users you want to manage in Atlassian.

**8.Manual Sync Option** : An intuitive manual sync button allows admins to quickly trigger a sync in urgent cases—ideal for last-minute user additions or removals.

**9.Sync on Successful Authentication** : Automatically update user details during login events to ensure profiles are always current without requiring manual syncs.

**10.Multiple IDP Support** : miniOrange supports simultaneous connections to multiple identity providers. This is especially helpful for companies operating in hybrid environments or undergoing mergers and acquisitions, where user identities might be managed in more than one IDP.

**11.IDP-Specific Provisioning** : Configure and customize provisioning behavior for each connected IDP. This ensures consistent integration behavior even when working with multiple providers.

By offering these features, miniOrange simplifies user management for Atlassian environments, reducing administrative workload and ensuring that user data stays accurate and up to date.

### Automate User Provisioning in Atlassian Cloud {#atlassian-cloud}

With miniOrange, automating user provisioning in Atlassian Cloud becomes seamless. It continuously synchronizes changes made in your identity provider into Atlassian apps, keeping cloud access always up to date.

#### Key Features 

* **Instant Deprovisioning** : Automatically disable users when deactivated in the IdP.
* **Streamlined User Management** : Manage access, update details, and ensure compliance.
* **Enhanced Efficiency** : Automatically create, update, and delete users based on identity provider data.
* **Zero Prerequisites** : No need for Atlassian Access, making integration smoother.
* **Group Sync Support** : Ensure accurate group memberships in real-time.

### Automate User Provisioning in Atlassian Data Center {#atlassian-DC}

For Atlassian Data Center, miniOrange SCIM provisioning syncs changes from your identity provider to your Atlassian apps with a single click. User directories are synchronized, and users are added to the correct applications automatically.

#### Key Features:

* **Scheduled Synchronization**: Proactively manage user and group updates.
* **Default and Manual Group Mapping**: Ensure appropriate role allocation even if group names do not match between the IdP and Atlassian instance.
* **Multi-IDP Support**: Connect multiple identity providers and maintain consistent user management.
* **Detailed Audit Logs**: Track changes made during user synchronization for compliance purposes.

### Conclusion {#conclusion}

Automating user provisioning is essential for modern enterprises aiming to enhance security, reduce manual effort, and streamline user management. miniOrange’s SCIM provisioning, User Sync, and Group Sync solutions provide a comprehensive and efficient approach to managing users in the Atlassian suite.

Explore miniOrange’s **Automatic User & Group Provisioning** for seamless Atlassian user management. Volume discounts are available for larger user tiers, helping organizations reduce costs while maintaining efficient access management.

Licensing costs are rising, and managing users manually across Atlassian apps is time-consuming and risky. With miniOrange User Sync, you can automate provisioning, deprovisioning, and group assignments in real-time. Eliminate manual errors, reduce IT workload, and ensure only the right users have access. Simplify access management while improving security and cutting costs.