diff --git a/userportal/authentication.py b/userportal/authentication.py
index 9bc37cb..199a07c 100644
--- a/userportal/authentication.py
+++ b/userportal/authentication.py
@@ -1,19 +1,34 @@
-from djangosaml2.backends import Saml2Backend
 from django.contrib.auth.backends import RemoteUserBackend
+from django.conf import settings
 
+try:
+    from djangosaml2.backends import Saml2Backend
 
-class staffSaml2Backend(Saml2Backend):
-    """This will add/remove the is_staff attribute from the user as appropriate."""
-    def _update_user(self, user, attributes: dict, attribute_mapping: dict, force_save: bool = False):
-        if 'eduPersonAffiliation' in attributes:
-            if 'staff' in attributes['eduPersonAffiliation']:
-                user.is_staff = True
-            else:
-                user.is_staff = False
-        user.first_name = attributes['givenName'][0]
-        user.last_name = attributes['sn'][0]
-        force_save = True
-        return super()._update_user(user, attributes, attribute_mapping, force_save)
+    class staffSaml2Backend(Saml2Backend):
+        """This will add/remove the is_staff attribute from the user as appropriate."""
+        def _update_user(self, user, attributes: dict, attribute_mapping: dict, force_save: bool = False):
+            # figure out if user is active (i.e. can login)
+            user.is_active = True
+            for attribute, value in settings.SAML_CONFIG['required_access_attributes']:
+                if attribute not in attributes or value not in attributes[attribute]:
+                    user.is_active = False
+                    break
+
+            # figure out if user is staff
+            user.is_staff = False
+            for attribute, value in settings.SAML_CONFIG['staff_attributes']:
+                if attribute in attributes and value in attributes[attribute]:
+                    user.is_staff = True
+                    break
+
+            user.first_name = attributes['givenName'][0]
+            user.last_name = attributes['sn'][0]
+            force_save = True
+            return super()._update_user(user, attributes, attribute_mapping, force_save)
+
+
+except ImportError:
+    pass
 
 
 class staffRemoteUserBackend(RemoteUserBackend):
@@ -32,3 +47,29 @@ def configure_user(self, request, user, created=True):
             user.is_staff = False
             user.save()
         return user
+
+
+try:
+    from django_auth_ldap.backend import LDAPBackend
+
+    class staffLdapBackend(LDAPBackend):
+        def get_or_build_user(self, username, ldap_user):
+            user, built = super().get_or_build_user(username, ldap_user)
+
+            # figure out if user is active (i.e. can login)
+            user.is_active = True
+            for attribute, value in settings.LDAP_CONFIG['required_access_attributes']:
+                if attribute not in ldap_user.attrs.data or value not in ldap_user.attrs.data[attribute]:
+                    user.is_active = False
+                    break
+
+            user.is_staff = False
+            for attribute, value in settings.LDAP_CONFIG['staff_attributes']:
+                if attribute in ldap_user.attrs.data and value in ldap_user.attrs.data[attribute]:
+                    user.is_staff = True
+
+            return user, built
+
+
+except ImportError:
+    pass
diff --git a/userportal/settings/10-base.py b/userportal/settings/10-base.py
index 8eab4bc..e56a61b 100644
--- a/userportal/settings/10-base.py
+++ b/userportal/settings/10-base.py
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@
 
 LDAP_BASE_DN = 'dc=computecanada,dc=ca'
 
+LDAP_CONFIG = {}
+
 LOGIN_REDIRECT_URL = '/'
 
 # Set to DEMO to True to enable demo mode with anonymized data
diff --git a/userportal/settings/40-saml.py b/userportal/settings/40-saml.py
index f55f36b..f566d97 100644
--- a/userportal/settings/40-saml.py
+++ b/userportal/settings/40-saml.py
@@ -64,4 +64,11 @@
         'key_file': '/opt/private.key',  # private part
         'cert_file': '/opt/public.cert',  # public part
     }],
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+    # Use this to define if the user can login
+    'required_access_attributes': [],
+
+    # Use this to assign the staff role based on attributes returned by SAML
+    'staff_attributes': [
+        ('eduPersonAffiliation', 'staff')
+    ]
+}