Company Overview
About Duo Security
Duo Security (now Cisco Duo) is an enterprise-grade zero-trust security platform providing multi-factor authentication (MFA), device trust, and secure access solutions that protect applications and users against credential-based attacks. Founded in 2009 by Dug Song and Jon Oberheide in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Duo was acquired by Cisco in 2018 for $2.35 billion and has grown significantly under Cisco ownership, expanding from MFA to a comprehensive zero-trust access platform.
Business Model & Competitive Advantage
Duo's simplicity was its defining early advantage — deploying MFA took hours instead of weeks, and the end-user experience (a push notification to a smartphone) was frictionless compared to hardware tokens. This drove rapid adoption at technology companies, universities, and eventually enterprises across all industries. By 2024-2025, Duo protects access for millions of users at tens of thousands of organizations, with particularly strong penetration in education, government, and healthcare.
Competitive Landscape 2025–2026
In 2025, Cisco Duo is a core component of Cisco's security portfolio, integrated with the Cisco Security Cloud platform alongside Umbrella (DNS security), Secure Endpoint, and Cisco Identity Intelligence. The platform has evolved from standalone MFA to a comprehensive continuous trust evaluation layer that considers device health, user behavior, and network context in every access decision. Duo competes with Microsoft Entra (Azure AD MFA), Okta Verify, and RSA SecurID in the MFA market, with the broader zero-trust access competition including Zscaler and Palo Alto Networks. Cisco's distribution network gives Duo access to enterprise accounts that might not otherwise evaluate a standalone identity tool.
Open Positions
Reddit Discussions
Key Differentiators
Emerging Innovator
Duo Security is an emerging player bringing innovative solutions to the Security market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not So Random Others
Zeffy
Zeffy is a Montreal-based fundraising platform for nonprofit organizations that charges zero platform fees on donations — asking donors to optionally contribute a tip to cover Zeffy's operating costs
Oda Studio
Oda Studio is a United States-based AI-powered interior design platform — backed by Y Combinator (W20) — providing homebuyers, renters, and design enthusiasts with AI tools to discover their personal
Cursor
Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on Visual Studio Code that integrates advanced language models to provide intelligent code completion, generation, debugging, and refactoring capabilities dir
Kindful
Kindful is a donor management and fundraising platform designed for nonprofit organizations to manage relationships, track donations, and execute fundraising campaigns. The company serves small to mid
Armilla AI
Armilla AI is a third-party AI quality assurance and warranty company that evaluates AI models for organizations deploying AI in regulated or high-stakes contexts — assessing models against EU AI Act
Campfire
Campfire is a United States-based AI-native enterprise resource planning (ERP) company — backed by Y Combinator (S23) with $38.5 million raised including a $35 million Series A led by Accel in June 20
Compare Duo Security with Competitors
Side-by-side AI visibility scores, platform breakdown, and market position.
Claim This Profile
Are you from Duo Security? Claim your profile to see full AI mention excerpts, get weekly visibility change alerts, and optimize how AI systems describe your brand.
Claim Duo Security Profile →Track AI Visibility in Real Time
Monitor how ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude mention Duo Security vs competitors. Get alerts when AI recommendations shift.
Start Free Tracking →