Authentication that works on start up

We are all used to multifactor authentication on web applications. This can be a one-time code as a text, a six-digit number from an authentication app on your phone or a fingerprint scan if your device has a reader. Multifactor authentication, or MFA, is a great step forward in security, ensuring only authorised users have access even if a username and password are compromised.

However, this technology only comes into play once the device is open, and MFA is usually applied on an app-by-app basis. Logging into a PC is often still done with a username and password, allowing the device to be compromised if this becomes known.

Authentication at start-up

Duo, from Cisco, adds MFA to the device login process, protecting your PC at start-up. Duo is designed to provide a simple, streamlined login experience for every user and application, and is a cloud-based solution enabling it to integrate easily with your existing technology. Duo's MFA solution only requires your colleagues to carry their smartphone, with the Duo Mobile app installed on it. Duo Mobile is available for both iPhones and Android, as well as wearables like the Apple Watch.

In addition, colleagues can also authenticate using a fingerprint scanner, tokens and passcodes generated by a secondary device.

"While Microsoft offer face and fingerprint recognition as a convenient way to log in, this can still be done with just a username and password when starting up your PC. Duo adds authentication to this process to provide a high level of security for your device," explains Chris Joberns, managing director at Strident.

To find out more about securing your PCs with Duo, please call Strident on 01473 835 280.