> Source: [sk184494](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk184494)

# sk184494 - SmartConsole SAML Authentication Fails with Entra ID When User Is Member of Many Groups

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk184494 |
| Date Created | 2026-01-07 |
| Last Modified | 2026-09-07 |
| Technical Level | Advanced |
| Products | Security Management Server, SmartConsole |
| Versions | R82.10, R82, R81.20, R82.10, R82, R81.20 |
| OS | Gaia |

## Symptoms

- * SmartConsole administrators cannot authenticate using Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) with Microsoft Entra ID, despite previous successful configuration.

* Smart console Login screen displays error message:
  *No local administrator with the name 'User' and no groups were found on the SAML Response.*

* A review of the SAML response shows this attribute:

  ```
  Attribute Name="http://schemas.microsoft.com/claims/groups.link" instead of group list.
  ```

## Cause

When an administrator belongs to a large number of Microsoft Entra ID groups (around 150 groups), the identity provider sends a *groups.link* reference instead of a full group list.  
SmartConsole requires explicit group values to perform group?based authorization. Because a link reference does not contain group names, SmartConsole cannot map the user to administrator roles.

## Solution

This solution requires authentication. Please log in to view the full solution.

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