Shibboleth
Allows WordPress to externalize user authentication and account creation to a Shibboleth Service Provider.
The facts
- Rating
- 4.3★ from 7
- Active installs
- 3k+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 22 Jun 2026
- Added
- Nov 2008
- Requires WP
- 4.3
- Tested up to
- WP 7.0.4
- Requires PHP
- 5.6
- Downloads
- 65,375
Our analysis
AI-assistedShibboleth is a WordPress plugin that integrates your site with an existing identity management system using a Shibboleth Service Provider. It facilitates login requests to a configured Shibboleth Identity Provider, automatically provisioning WordPress accounts for new users and synchronising user attributes upon each login.
This plugin is suitable for organisations that need to manage user roles and permissions based on Shibboleth attributes, allowing for tailored access control within WordPress based on user affiliations and entitlements.
Best for: This plugin is best for organisations using Shibboleth for identity management and requiring role-based access in WordPress.
What it does well
- ✓Integrates WordPress with Shibboleth identity management
- ✓Automatically provisions accounts for new users
- ✓Synchronises user attributes on each login
- ✓Allows role assignment based on Shibboleth attributes
- ✓Actively maintained by the author and community
Where it falls short
- •Limited information on additional features or support
- •Requires familiarity with Shibboleth for configuration
Verdict
Shibboleth provides useful integration for managing user authentication and roles in WordPress, particularly for users familiar with Shibboleth systems.
From the developer
michaelryanmcneill's own description of Shibboleth, lightly tidied.
This plugin is designed to support integrating your WordPress site into your existing identity management infrastructure using a Shibboleth Service Provider.
WordPress can be configured so that all standard login requests will be sent to your configured Shibboleth Identity Provider or Discovery Service. Upon successful authentication, a new WordPress account will be automatically provisioned for the user if one does not already exist. User attributes (username, first name, last name, display name, nickname, and email address) can be synchronized with your enterprise’s system of record each time the user logs into WordPress.
Finally, the user’s role within WordPress can be automatically set (and continually updated) based on any attribute Shibboleth provides. For example, you may decide to give users with an eduPersonAffiliation value of faculty the WordPress role of editor, while the eduPersonAffiliation value of student maps to the WordPress role contributor. Or you may choose to limit access to WordPress altogether using a special eduPersonEntitlement value.
Contribute on GitHub
This plugin is actively maintained by michaelryanmcneill and the WordPress community, using GitHub. Contributions are welcome, via pull request, on GitHub. Issues can be submitted on the issue tracker.