13.5.4.4. Service Provider Authenticators
13.5.4.4.1. Introduction
PicketLink Service Providers Authenticators are important components responsible for the authentication of users using the SAML Assertion previously issued by an Identity Provider.
They are responsible for intercepting each request made to an application, checking if a SAML assertion is present in the request, validating its signature and executing SAML specific validations and creating a security context for the user in the requested application.