Duo Security

Duo Security, acquired by Cisco, is a highly popular, user-centric access security platform best known for pioneering frictionless Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). While many IAM solutions focus heavily on complex backend directory integrations, Duo's philosophy centers on simplicity and speed of deployment. It is designed to be incredibly easy for IT teams to implement and universally simple for end-users to adopt, making it an ideal zero-trust entry point for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to massive global enterprises. Duo's flagship feature is its Duo Push MFA. When a user attempts to log into a protected application, Duo sends a simple, secure push notification to the Duo Mobile app on the user's smartphone. The user simply taps "Approve" to gain access, completely eliminating the need to type in cumbersome, time-consuming six-digit codes. Beyond user verification, Duo provides critical Device Trust capabilities. Every time a user authenticates, Duo performs a lightweight health check on the device they are using, verifying its security posture. It checks whether the operating system is up-to-date, if encryption is enabled, or if the device is jailbroken. If a device fails these policy checks, Duo can block access and guide the user on how to remediate the issue, effectively securing unmanaged, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environments without requiring complex Mobile Device Management (MDM) agents. Duo operates as a comprehensive Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution. Through Duo Single Sign-On (SSO) and the Duo Network Gateway, organizations can provide secure, remote access to on-premises applications, cloud services, and SSH/RDP servers without relying on vulnerable, traditional VPNs. Administrators have granular control, allowing them to set access policies based on specific user groups, applications, and device health status. With its incredibly intuitive administrative dashboard, rapid deployment capabilities, and deep integration into the broader Cisco secure access service edge (SASE) portfolio, Duo Security provides a highly effective, user-friendly approach to securing the modern, borderless workforce.