How does single sign-on function within Salesforce?

Single sign-on (SSO) in Salesforce enables users to authenticate once and gain access to multiple applications without having to log in separately to each one. This functionality is primarily achieved by relying on an external identity provider (IdP) for authentication. When a user attempts to log in to Salesforce, they are redirected to the IdP, which handles the authentication process. Upon successful authentication, the IdP sends a token back to Salesforce, allowing the user to access their Salesforce environment seamlessly.

This method not only enhances user experience by reducing the number of login prompts but also improves security by centralizing authentication processes through trusted systems. Implementing SSO is ideal for organizations looking to simplify user management and strengthen security protocols by leveraging existing authentication mechanisms.

The other options do not accurately describe the functioning of SSO within Salesforce. For example, requiring a secondary password or generating a one-time password is contrary to the primary purpose of SSO, which is to minimize the number of times users need to enter credentials. Moreover, using only Salesforce's internal authentication does not align with the SSO concept, as it does not take advantage of external authentication sources that SSO typically utilizes.