Can Duo Directory be used as a standalone cloud directory service?

Yes. Duo Directory can operate completely as a standalone cloud directory service, allowing you to create and manage users and groups directly in Duo without requiring on-premises directory infrastructure. Duo provides organizations a path to security-first IAM by combining directory, single sign-on, MFA, device trust, and access policy capabilities in a single platform.

Can Duo Directory support multiple identity directories simultaneously?

Yes. Duo Directory supports multiple identity sources and routing rules allowing organizations to direct different users to the proper authentication source. For example, employees can authenticate through Active Directory, while contractors, vendors, or other external users can be routed to authenticate through Duo Directory.

Do I need a separate Identity Governance (IGA) platform to handle Joiner, Mover, and Leaver (JML) workflows?

No, Duo Directory provides robust automated JML capabilities without the premium cost of a dedicated IGA platform. By utilizing SCIM automation and Directory Sync, Duo automatically updates user access based on your source directory. For movers and leavers, governance is strictly enforced. Users are blocked from Duo authentication immediately after the next directory sync detects their disabled or removed status in the source directory.

How does Duo Directory work with existing Active Directory environments?

Duo Directory can integrate with Active Directory through Duo Directory Sync, which imports users, groups, and selected attributes into Duo. This one-way sync helps administrators use existing AD data for authentication, access policies, MFA, and lifecycle management while managing security controls in Duo.

How does Duo Directory complement existing Active Directory security solutions?

Duo Directory complements Active Directory security solutions by adding identity-first access protections such as MFA, phishing-resistant authentication, device trust, and adaptive access policies. Instead of replacing AD outright, Duo can help organizations apply stronger controls around the users and applications that depend on AD.

How does a Duo Active Directory integration reduce administrative overhead while maintaining security?

Establishing a Duo Active Directory integration allows you to seamlessly sync users, groups, and status changes from your on-premises infrastructure directly into the Duo platform so access policies stay aligned with directory changes. This reduces manual administration by automating user lifecycle management, supporting onboarding and offboarding workflows, and ensuring Duo authentication reflects current user status after directory sync.

Can administrators use Duo Directory to enforce stricter Active Directory security controls across all applications?

Duo Directory enables administrators to enforce robust Active Directory security controls by combining synced directory data, MFA, device trust, and access policies. By leveraging these Active Directory security controls, administrators can create granular access policies that automatically block access for deactivated users and ensure that only healthy, trusted devices can connect to sensitive corporate resources.

Duo Directory: Identity that finally puts security first

Everything you need to secure and manage identities from day one, built from the ground up to thwart identity attacks. Finally, identity that puts security first.

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Computer user authenticating as a trusted device using Duo Secure’s anayltics showing 44,000 authentications over time.

Identity simplified. Security amplified.

Increase both productivity and security. Duo's simple-to-use IAM provides a user directory with lifecycle management, a robust single sign-on solution (SSO), and advanced security like phishing-resistant MFA, Passwordless and Device Trust—by default. That's security-first.

Run standalone

Duo has all the components of a full-stack IAM solution and makes it easy to get started with IAM or to switch from existing stacks, thanks to helpful migration tools like Routing Rules and AI Assistant.

Works with what you have

No rip-out necessary. Duo Directory effortlessly integrates with existing IAM solutions to act as the orchestration and identity security layer, enabling phishing-resistant MFA and complete Passwordless for all.

Secure and manage 3rd party access

Duo can segregate and broker authentication for external identities—such as contractors and vendors—while delivering the same level of protection as for internal employees, making it the ideal alternative directory for managing and securing third-party access.

Govern your AI agents

Create a foundational directory where agents are registered as distinct identity objects—not service accounts, not proxies of their human operators. Each agent is mapped to a human owner, assigned to groups for policy enforcement, and fully logged from the moment it is onboarded.

Learn more about establishing trust–with agents

Identity built for security: Your IAM evaluation guide

80% of breaches involve identity. Strengthen your defenses with our security-first evaluation framework. Learn to achieve zero trust while reducing help desk costs and TCO.

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6 reasons you’ll love Duo Directory

The source of truth for identity

The Duo Directory is a flexible, secure source of truth for primary authentication. It can be used on its own or enable authentication orchestration for SSO, Passwordless and phishing-resistant MFA across other identity sources.

Find guidance on the fly

Duo uses AI to combine the power of Duo data and documentation in a conversational interface that helps administrators in their daily workflows, from setting up new features to troubleshooting user access, and general administration of Duo.

Enable multiple authentication sources all at once

Easily coordinate your identity sources with Duo’s intuitive routing rules—serving as the central hub of your identity ecosystem.

Define your identities your way

Use custom attributes to define what constitutes a user identity in the eyes of your organization and seamlessly enable workflows, automation and orchestration across multiple identity sources.

Streamline and scale user provisioning

Automate provisioning, changes, and deprovisioning of users and groups into your supported applications for speed, scale, and consistency.

Transition without disruption

Orchestrate secure authentication across your multiple identity providers while automatically onboarding and offboarding users to migrate to Duo, ensuring a consistent, streamlined experience for both users and IT.

Duo Directory FAQs

Can Duo Directory be used as a standalone cloud directory service?

Yes. Duo Directory can operate completely as a standalone cloud directory service, allowing you to create and manage users and groups directly in Duo without requiring on-premises directory infrastructure. Duo provides organizations a path to security-first IAM by combining directory, single sign-on, MFA, device trust, and access policy capabilities in a single platform.
Can Duo Directory support multiple identity directories simultaneously?

Yes. Duo Directory supports multiple identity sources and routing rules allowing organizations to direct different users to the proper authentication source. For example, employees can authenticate through Active Directory, while contractors, vendors, or other external users can be routed to authenticate through Duo Directory.
Do I need a separate Identity Governance (IGA) platform to handle Joiner, Mover, and Leaver (JML) workflows?

No, Duo Directory provides robust automated JML capabilities without the premium cost of a dedicated IGA platform. By utilizing SCIM automation and Directory Sync, Duo automatically updates user access based on your source directory. For movers and leavers, governance is strictly enforced. Users are blocked from Duo authentication immediately after the next directory sync detects their disabled or removed status in the source directory.
How does Duo Directory work with existing Active Directory environments?

Duo Directory can integrate with Active Directory through Duo Directory Sync, which imports users, groups, and selected attributes into Duo. This one-way sync helps administrators use existing AD data for authentication, access policies, MFA, and lifecycle management while managing security controls in Duo.
How does Duo Directory complement existing Active Directory security solutions?

Duo Directory complements Active Directory security solutions by adding identity-first access protections such as MFA, phishing-resistant authentication, device trust, and adaptive access policies. Instead of replacing AD outright, Duo can help organizations apply stronger controls around the users and applications that depend on AD.
How does a Duo Active Directory integration reduce administrative overhead while maintaining security?

Establishing a Duo Active Directory integration allows you to seamlessly sync users, groups, and status changes from your on-premises infrastructure directly into the Duo platform so access policies stay aligned with directory changes. This reduces manual administration by automating user lifecycle management, supporting onboarding and offboarding workflows, and ensuring Duo authentication reflects current user status after directory sync.
Can administrators use Duo Directory to enforce stricter Active Directory security controls across all applications?

Duo Directory enables administrators to enforce robust Active Directory security controls by combining synced directory data, MFA, device trust, and access policies. By leveraging these Active Directory security controls, administrators can create granular access policies that automatically block access for deactivated users and ensure that only healthy, trusted devices can connect to sensitive corporate resources.

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