Most of us access multiple applications and data every day in our personal lives: from online shopping, to making banking transactions and accessing health services virtually. As a result, the majority would have encountered Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) in some form. Moreover, in our professional lives, it is likely that MFA would be used as the cornerstone across most enterprise cyber security policies.
As you may already know, and recognize, Cisco Duo as a leader of MFA. However, MFA alone is not enough to prevent bad actors from gaining access to important applications and valuable data by impersonating individuals. This has become increasingly critical as 80% of hacking breaches involve either brute force, or the use of lost or stolen credentials, according to the 2022 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report. To that end, a Zero Trust architecture will become increasingly critical to maintain a robust cybersecurity posture amid an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape.
This is where Cisco Duo comes in, with its offering of a greater measure of control than MFA.
In line with Cisco’s Zero Trust Approach Cerium would like to share some thoughts on how our customers can embark on the Zero Trust journey with Cisco Duo.
Never Trust, Always Verify
MFA serves as a core element of Zero Trust, a security model that establishes trust through continuous authentication and monitoring of each network access attempt. Essentially, organizations should treat every access attempt as if it originates from an untrusted network, such that access is only granted when trust has been established. According to Grandview Research, the global Zero Trust security market size was valued at USD 19.8 billion in 2020, and is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.2% from 2021 to 2028.
Cisco Duo works by verifying the user first, followed by the device. It offers organizations the means to enforce different policies and enact different layers of protection based on the user identity and their location.
As the leading MFA solution, Cisco Duo can be deployed organization-wide for all applications regardless of the environment or operating system. This is incredibly useful in today’s hybrid work environment, with employees working across a large number of applications and networks. Duo acts as a security thread that ties all data and operations together. Notably, it integrates with major enterprise cloud app providers, including Microsoft Office 365, Google Apps, Box and Salesforce.
In addition, Duo easily protects data in the cloud and on-premises, offering businesses peace of mind when accessing critical data. It also covers users that are part of the organization’s wider ecosystem, including contractors who are not in the active directory.
Businesses and customers alike are reaping the benefits of Duo
Duo is easy to use and manage. Businesses are already experiencing this, having deployed Duo in a matter of minutes, not days, minimizing downtime and optimizing productivity. This is why Duo continuously achieves the highest Net Promoter Score – a guide that measures the likelihood of the customer recommending Duo to a friend.
Achieving better security outcomes with Zero Trust
Duo serves as a gateway for organizations to implement Zero Trust holistically. Duo can work with various applications as you see in the diagram below.
Towards a secure and resilient future
As workforces, operation models and IT systems become more hybrid and distributed, and the world becomes more and more interconnected, ensuring security resilience will be paramount for the survival and success of businesses.
Remember, Cisco Duo is far more than MFA; it’s a control point that encompasses the user and policy verification. It’s only with this understanding that you can leverage the full suite of capabilities Duo offers.
Connect with your Cerium Cisco Duo specialist today.
Cerium offers Cisco Duo in a managed services offering. Ask your Cerium expert.
Learn more about Cisco DUO and Zero Trust here
