Duo (2-Factor Authentication)

Two-factor means that when you log in, you provide two proofs of your identity. At U-M, that means your password plus Duo. You can choose from multiple Duo options. An attacker who gets your password won't be able to log in as you without your Duo option. 

Duo is a high-performing, Ann Arbor-based company, owned by Cisco Systems. Besides the fact that the company was founded by Michigan alums, which is a plus, many of our peer institutions are successfully using the two-factor tool.

Duo provides faculty, staff, and students with the most options for individual choice (that is, mobile app, passcode, landline, YubiKey, or hardware token), while protecting university data and your personal information.

April 15, 2025 Update:

Phone Call and SMS (text message) will no longer be available as authentication options for people who are enrolling in Duo for the first time, or for current users who add a device with a new phone number.

The change is designed to make the university’s authentication process significantly more difficult for threat actors to impersonate or “phish” legitimate users. Michigan Medicine transitioned away from Phone Call and SMS methods in September 2024.

Please see more information in this article/notice from ITS/IAM