Nearly 2,500 faculty and staff members’ accounts are now being protected by Duo, and the numbers continue to rise. Whether you’ve been using Duo for years, or you’re a new user, it’s nice to be reminded of a few best practices for using Duo. These tips, and a number of other topics, can be found on our Duo FAQs.

Reduce how much you’re prompted by Duo - Use Remember me for 30 days

Do you like the security you get by using Duo, but don’t want to use the second-factor step every time you log in? Simple. Just check the “Remember me for 30 days” checkbox on the Duo authentication screen.

NOTE: Only use this option on computers you control and trust. For example, your office computer or home computer. Do not use this option on public computers.

Don’t type or call - Use Push notifications

By far, the easiest way to use Duo is with a push notification to your smartphone. More than likely you have your smartphone with you. Simply press “send push” on the Duo authentication screen and acknowledge the push notification on your device.

Protect yourself from being locked out - Register multiple devices

In the event you don't have your standard authentication device with you, like your smartphone, be sure to register additional devices such as your desk or home phone.

Have more questions about using Duo? Browse our Duo FAQs, submit an RT ticket at my.umbc.edu/help, or contact the Technology Support Center (TSC) at (410) 455-3838.

Last April, DoIT announced that faculty and staff with elevated Peoplesoft access would be required to use Duo two-factor authentication. We've since worked to enroll nearly 2,500 faculty and staff members into Duo. In the last week alone, Duo protected over 20,000 individual logins to campus resources like myUMBC and Peoplesoft.

Continuing our efforts to keep the campus safe online, DoIT will be requiring all remaining faculty to enroll in Duo by November 19th.

Duo 2-factor authentication (2FA) greatly increases the security of your account by adding an extra layer of protection to the login procedure. With Duo 2FA, your account will require you to have a second-factor device physically unique to you, such as a smartphone, your office phone, or even a tablet in your possession to log in. When you log in, your second-factor device will prompt you to approve your online login. Without approval from your second-factor device, any fraudulent attempts to log into your account are denied, thus preventing anyone who shouldn't have access to your account from getting to your data.

To learn more about using Duo two-factor authentication, visit our Duo FAQ collection at https://my.umbc.edu/go/duo

If you have questions or concerns submit an RT ticket at my.umbc.edu/help or contact the Technology Support Center at (410) 455-3838.