Duo Two-Factor Authentication
Your login credentials are more valuable than ever and are increasingly easy to compromise. Over 90% of breaches today involve compromised usernames and passwords. Cybersecurity is a significant concern in our technology-driven world, and K-State is compelled to be more vigilant.
To keep your personal information safe, K-State offers Duo two-factor authentication to provide a second layer of security for your account by using a secondary device to verify your identity. This prevents anyone but you from accessing your account, even if they know your password. All K-State faculty and staff are required to use Duo.
Duo Enrollment for Students
K-State students will begin their mandatory enrollment in Duo beginning in February 2023. To learn more about Duo student enrollment, view the Duo Student Enrollment FAQ.
Authentication Methods
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Duo Push | Pushes a login request to your phone or tablet (if you have Duo Mobile installed and activated on your iOS, Android, or Windows Phone device). |
| Call Me | Authenticate via phone call back. Click the Call Me button on the Duo Prompt, and Duo will call your phone. Answer the call and listen to the instructions to authenticate. The Duo Prompt's status bar also tells you how to approve the request over the phone. |
| Hardware Token | To authenticate using a hardware token, click the Enter a Passcode button. Press the button on your hardware token to generate a new passcode, type it into the space provided, and click Log In (or type the generated passcode in the "second password" field). Tokens can get "out of sync" if the button is pressed too many times in a row, and the generated passcodes are not used for login. Contact the IT Service Desk if you have issues with token funcion or codes not working. Tokens typically have a battery life of approximately two years, and a new one will need to be purchased if it fails to operate. Tokens can be purchased for $15 at the ID Center in the K-State Student Union (Manhattan), ID Center (Salina), and IT Support (Olathe). |
Why is push the best authentication method?
Duo Push is an authentication request you’ll receive as a notification on your smartphone. It’s quicker, easier, and more secure than receiving text messages or phone calls. To use Duo Push, you will need to have the Duo Mobile app installed and activated.
It’s quicker than a text or a phone call
- Authenticating with a text message requires waiting to receive the text, reading a passcode, and then typing it in.
- Phone calls require actually answering the phone, listening to the recording, and using the dial pad to approve the login.
- Duo Push is as simple as approving a notification on your smartphone.
- Duo uses minimal data. Five hundred pushes to your device will use 1 MB of data in total. This amount is roughly equivalent to loading one webpage on your smartphone.
It's more secure
- Duo Push uses cutting-edge end-to-end encryption that SMS and phone calls can’t.
- The Duo Push screen displays detailed information about the application and source device that initiated the authentication request.
Supported Devices
Click your device platform to learn more:
Remember Me
You can bypass Duo two-factor authentication for 10 days when you enable the Remember me for 10 days option. If you check this box when authenticating, you won't need to perform Duo two-factor authentication again for 10 days. This feature is browser and computer-specific. If you change browsers or computers, you will need to authenticate again.
