Set up MFA with Duo
strongDM permits multi-factor authentication (MFA) with Duo. Here's how to set it up:
Setup with Duo
The first part of the setup process takes place on the Duo website. Log in as an administrator and perform the following steps.
- Go to Applications, then Protect an Application
Duo/Applications - From the list of applications, find Web SDK and select Protect this Application
Web SDK - Note the integration key, secret key, and API hostname, as they will be needed later
Details/Keys - Under Settings, set the organization name, policy, voice greeting, and self-service options according to your organization's preferences
- Save changes
You're done here, but keep this browser window open to copy the key and API information when doing strongDM setup in a few moments.
Set up with strongDM
The setup continues on the strongDM Admin UI.
Go to Settings, then Authentication
Settings/Authentication Enable MFA, and select Duo from the drop-down menu.
Copy and paste the integration key, secret key, and API hostname from the Duo page.
MFA Setup Set the idle time (default 2 hours).
This determines when your strongDM login session will lock and require reauthorization with MFA to continue using it
Click Test MFA to test the MFA settings. This will require your admin account to be registered as a user in Duo.
MFA Test Success Click Activate to enable Duo MFA. This will pop up a warning message that users will be unable to log in without MFA enrollment going forward.
MFA Warning Ensure that Test MFA is successful before activating MFA, or your admin account may become locked out!
Log in with Duo MFA enabled
The login process once Duo MFA is enabled has only one change: after entering the username and password, the login page will say 'Waiting for MFA...' until the Duo challenge has been accepted. The process is similar for SDM GUI and SDM CLI logins.
Register a new user with Duo MFA enabled
When Duo MFA is enabled, the new user registration process will halt when the user clicks the link in the invitation email, then display a link to the Duo self-enrollment process. Once this process is complete, the user will be able to return to the strongDM window and complete the initial login process.
Troubleshoot MFA with Duo
You may run into issues authenticating your strongDM account with Duo MFA enabled. Below is some information about errors you may receive while logging in, and suggested troubleshooting steps.
When is MFA authentication needed?
You will be prompted for a strongDM MFA authentication in the following circumstances:
- Local client
- Idle timeout (configurable in Settings > Authentication)
- IP address change
- On wake
- On login
- Admin UI
- Idle timeout (configurable as above)
- On login Exception: When SSO is configured along with MFA, you will not receive MFA authentication challenges on login, as it is assumed that SSO is also MFA-enabled.
Authentication Errors with Duo
| Error | Issue | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Invalid MFA configuration | Your organization's MFA configuration is not correct. | Contact your strongDM administrator. |
| MFA refused to authenticate this user | Duo has preemptively denied authentication. | Contact your Duo administrator. |
| MFA denied access | When the push alert arrived, you denied access. | Log in again and choose 'Accept' when the push arrives. |
| User not enrolled in MFA | You are not enrolled with Duo. | Contact your Duo administrator. |
| MFA did not return a response in time | Duo did not receive an accept/deny from your device in time. | Try logging in again and accept/deny when the push arrives. |
| Could not find a valid MFA device | Your Duo-configured device cannot receive push alerts. | Contact your Duo administrator to register another device. |
| Could not push a notification to MFA device | Duo was not able to send a push to your device. | Contact your Duo administrator. |
New / Reset Device
If you get a new mobile device or have to reset your existing device, you may be unable to log into your Duo-protected account. If this situation occurs, please contact your organization's Duo administrator to provision your new/reset device. strongDM is unable to provision Duo devices.