University of Sunderland have chosen to work with Duo, so they can help with the journey to becoming a data centre zero and cloud first university.
The aim is to have no traditional onsite data centres by the year 2021, which is part of the Digital First strategy. To help ensure this transition to the cloud is secure the University is now working with Duo, who offer a security solution.
Duo is multi-factor authentication (MFA), and is supporting the University on its way to adopting a zero-trust model. A zero-trust security model means that when any member of staff logs into certain University systems, both onsite and offsite, they are automatically distrusted even if their username and password is correct. Because of the growing trend in username/password breaches the University now requires users to prove who they are with a second layer of security, which Duo provides. This is usually connected to your mobile device.
So there is a now a combination of things to protect our users:
1. Something we give them, their username.
2. Something they create and know, their password.
3. Something they have, their mobile security token or device.
Andrew Spenceley, cyber security architect, said, “In order to make the transition to cloud based services successful and secure, we need a modern solution that can support the University’s evolving business needs.”
There are many ways to use Duo with high proportion (85%) of users opting to use the Duo Push option to authenticate. All Duo Push requires is for users to download the Duo app on their phone, and when they try to log into an application it sends a notification to their phone and the user just clicks ‘Allow’. The aim is for 100 per cent of users to be using Duo Push.
Using Duo’s zero-trust platform will go a significant way to helping the University ensure all sensitive information and data is secure.
David Conway, Deputy Technical Director and Head of IT said “Duo provides our colleagues with an easy to use mechanism to have secure access not only to University but also allows them, free of charge and unconnected to the University, to secure their own personal accounts such as their Google or Dropbox accounts. Helping keep our colleagues safe in every aspect of their online life is of great importance to us.”