# Duo Security

**Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/duo-security  
**Vertical:** Security  
**Subcategory:** General  
**Tier:** Emerging  
**Website:** duo.com  
**Last Updated:** 2026-04-14

## Summary

Cisco-owned zero trust and MFA platform protecting millions of users; push notification authentication with device trust and continuous access evaluation.

## Company Overview

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.

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.

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.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is Duo Security?
Duo Security is a multi-factor authentication platform founded in 2010 and based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company was acquired by Cisco for $2.35 billion in 2018 and now serves over 10,000 customers with identity and access security solutions.

### What products and services does Duo Security offer?
Duo Security offers multi-factor authentication (MFA), single sign-on (SSO), passwordless authentication, trusted device verification, and adaptive access policies. In May 2025, they launched Duo IAM to provide comprehensive identity and access management capabilities.

### Who uses Duo Security?
Duo Security serves over 10,000 customers across various industries who need to protect their organizations from identity-based security threats. The platform is designed for businesses seeking enterprise-grade authentication and access management solutions.

### When was Duo Security founded?
Duo Security was founded in 2010 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company was later acquired by Cisco in 2018 for $2.35 billion.

### Where is Duo Security located?
Duo Security is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company operates as part of Cisco following its acquisition in 2018.

### How much funding did Duo Security raise?
Duo Security raised over $120 million in funding prior to its acquisition. The company was acquired by Cisco for $2.35 billion in 2018.

### What recognition has Duo Security received?
Duo Security was named a 2025 Gartner Customers' Choice for User Authentication with a 97% recommend score from 130 reviews. The company also won the 2025 TrustRadius Buyer's Choice Award based on 720+ customer reviews.

### Why is multi-factor authentication important for organizations?
Identity-based attacks accounted for 60% of Cisco Talos incident response cases in 2024, highlighting the critical need for strong authentication. Duo Security's platform helps organizations protect against these threats through multi-factor authentication and adaptive access policies.

### How can I get started with Duo Security?
Based on the provided information, contact details are not specified. As Duo Security is a Cisco company serving over 10,000 customers, interested organizations can reach out through Cisco's official channels.

### What are Duo Security's latest developments?
In May 2025, Duo Security launched Duo IAM, a new identity and access management solution designed to combat the rising threat of identity-based attacks. The company continues to grow, serving over 10,000 customers while receiving top customer satisfaction ratings from Gartner and TrustRadius.

## Tags

b2b, cybersecurity, saas, security

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*Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*