Cequence Security protects applications and data that power enterprises in the agentic era. They make the applications and data that organizations depend on AI-ready while protecting them from attacks, business logic abuse, and fraud. Cequence protects more than 10 billion daily API interactions and 4 billion user accounts across some of the world’s largest enterprises. As the broader Cequence platform grew, they needed an authentication solution that wouldn’t divert valuable engineering resources away from that core vision. Here’s how Descope helped.
About Cequence Security
Founded in 2014, Cequence processes nearly 10 billion API transactions daily, safeguarding over 10 trillion dollars in digital assets and 4 billion user accounts.
Cequence Security leverages authentication for several key user types, including:
Cloud platform users: Primary SaaS customers who need immediate value without setting up on-premises deployment.
Event attendees: Participants at in-person events, showcasing proof-of-concept demos where prospects need to experience value quickly.
Multi-tenant customers: Enterprise customers with varying authentication needs across different environments, each requiring specific integrations.
The authentication challenge
As Cequence Security expanded their robust cloud offerings, they encountered several authentication hurdles with their existing solution that diverted valuable engineering resources and time from their core product.
At the same time, a lack of key features saddled Cequence Security with the task of ironing out crucial friction points:
Limited multi-tenancy support: The incumbent solution lacked true tenant structure within their architecture, requiring Cequence Security developers to implement complex workarounds.
Technical debt: Authentication flows required engineering involvement for minor changes, wasting costly developer cycles that would have been spent refining their core offering.
Integration complexity: Different customers across regions and industries required custom documentation (written by Cequence Security) for each integration, creating an ongoing maintenance burden.
Abraham Jeevagunta, Head of Advanced Concepts at Cequence Security, said:
“We had to play around with a lot of stuff—custom claims and other workarounds. [The previous solution] didn’t have true tenant-like structure within their system. We started looking for a solution that made it drop-dead simple for somebody to configure on their side and talk to our IdP.”
The Descope experience
Cequence Security sought a modern authentication solution that would eliminate their old provider’s barriers while allowing their team to refocus on their main offering: API security and Bot Management. They began the journey with Descope after recognizing the platform’s ability to meet the high bar they set for authentication requirements.
Their Descope solution focused on three key elements:
Simplified SSO implementation: Cequence Security needed a system that made integrating with various identity providers straightforward, with backend functionality and documentation handled by the authentication provider rather than their internal teams.
True multi-tenancy support: The ability to properly manage multiple tenants within the authentication solution was essential for Cequence Security’s architecture.
No-code authentication flows: Empowering non-developers to build and maintain authentication journeys would free engineering resources for core product development.
The company began by deploying Descope for their API Discovery product, testing the solution’s capabilities with a segment of real users before rolling out to every customer. Initial implementation took less than a month, with Cequence Security users seeing immediate benefits in the new identity environment.
Hari Nair, VP of Product Management at Cequence Security, said:
“The no-code flows were a game-changer for us. They allowed our UX designers to create seamless integrations, freeing up our core developers to focus on advancing API security. It enabled faster innovation and a better customer experience — all without requiring deep coding expertise at every step.”
Descope’s rich feature set perfectly dovetailed with Cequence Security’s requirements, offering sought-after capabilities:
Comprehensive SDK support: Refined, clear, and up-to-date documentation for SDKs made integration simpler than their previous authentication provider.
Robust authentication options: The ability to offer passwordless authentication through magic and enchanted links satisfied Cequence Security’s desire for high-security, low-friction logins.
Custom styling: Built-in tools that could tailor login screens to meet their specific branding and maintain a consistent customer experience.
Self-service SSO configuration: Documentation and functionality that empower Cequence Security customers to configure their own SSO without requiring hands-on support.
Hari Nair, VP of Product Management at Cequence Security, said::
“Descope met our needs perfectly. The product is easy to deploy, we appreciate the SDK-level customization, and especially the self-service stuff—way better than what [our old provider] has. With Descope, we don’t have to invest tons of developer time helping customers implement SSO over and over again.”
Auth flows as a sales enabler
Cequence Security found an especially innovative use for Descope’s flexible authentication flows: creating custom, event-specific auth experiences. As a regular exhibitor at major cybersecurity trade shows like the RSA Conference, Cequence Security saw the potential for Descope to quickly onboard prospects and demonstrate their platform’s value within minutes.
Using Descope, the team created dedicated authentication flows leading up to trade shows, keeping these exhibition flows sequestered from their main production environment. The event-specific journeys were streamlined to rapidly showcase value, offering authentication paths that route users to specific demo environments.
John Dasher, VP of Marketing at Cequence Security, said:
"Trade shows are a great opportunity to get eyes on our product. We can say, ‘Log in, have a cup of tea, and by the time you come back, you’ll see results.’ Descope significantly simplifies that process.”
AI-ready infrastructure with the Cequence AI Gateway
As organizations increasingly adopt agentic AI systems, Cequence recognized the need for enterprises to securely connect their applications, APIs, and data to AI agents. The Cequence AI Gateway is purpose-built for the agentic age, enabling enterprises to take full advantage of the productivity gains promised by agentic artificial intelligence.
The Cequence AI Gateway converts any API into an MCP-compatible endpoint without requiring code changes or application modifications, allowing real-time access with minimal effort. This platform is natively integrated with Cequence’s Unified Application Protection (UAP) platform, providing access to auto-generated, enhanced API specs that boost agentic AI performance, as well as strengthening protection against agent-fueled attacks and fraud.
Descope provides important components of MCP authentication and authorization within the Cequence AI Gateway, helping their customers benefit from identity-based access to systems and data while preventing unauthorized AI agent access. By offloading key authentication complexities for different SaaS applications with their out-of-the-box integrations, Descope helped the Cequence AI Gateway team achieve a faster time to market with a feature-rich product.
Shreyans Mehta, Co-Founder and CTO of Cequence Security, said:
“Descope is a key under-the-hood component of the Cequence AI Gateway. Descope’s flexible, developer-friendly handling of MCP auth has played an important role in helping Cequence AI Gateway customers securely connect their applications, APIs, and data to AI agents.”
Outcomes, results, and looking to the future
After implementing Descope, Cequence Security has realized numerous benefits that extend beyond just authentication:
Dramatically reduced support burden: Support calls for SSO configuration reduced by more than 90% following their Descope deployment, with customer self-service becoming the norm.
Empowered non-developers: Non-engineering team members can now build and manage authentication flows without taking focus from the core product.
Enhanced customer onboarding: New customers can now become operational in as little as a few minutes, offering immediate benefits from Cequence Security’s Unified API Protection (UAP) platform.
Streamlined event demos: Customer authentication flows for trade shows allow teams to quickly demonstrate value to prospects, improving lead generation efficiency.
AI-ready infrastructure: The Cequence AI Gateway leverages Descope’s MCP auth capabilities to securely connect applications, APIs, and data to AI agents and ensure scope-based access for connected tools.
Abraham Jeevagunta, Head of Advanced Concepts at Cequence Security, said:
“I have not seen any customer support calls for single sign-on in the last year and a half. Customers log in to the product, and if they have questions on SSO, our support team highlights where the UI points to the documentation. We rarely hear back from them after they have that.”
Looking ahead, Cequence Security plans to extend Descope across more of their product portfolio, offering the same streamlined and secure authentication experience to their entire UAP platform. Descope’s robust security profile and wide array of customizable elements align with their cloud-first vision, while still ensuring they can serve customers across all deployment models.
Descope is a flexible drag & drop customer and agentic identity platform that helps organizations easily add authentication, authorization, and identity management to their apps, AI agents, and MCP servers. Customers use us for initiatives such as passwordless authentication, SSO, identity federation, strong MFA, fraud prevention, and agentic identity.
To get started with Descope, sign up for a Free Forever account. If you have questions about our platform, book time with our auth experts.
