Connect with Duo users and security professionals in our Community.
Can't find what you're looking for? Contact Sales or Contact Support.
Connect with Duo users and security professionals in our Community.
Can't find what you're looking for? Contact Sales or Contact Support.
Duo integrates with Microsoft Windows client and server operating systems to add two-factor authentication to Remote Desktop and local logons.
This integration communicates with Duo's service on TCP port 443. Also, we do not recommend locking down your firewall to individual IP addresses, since these may change over time to maintain our service's high availability.
Duo Authentication for Windows Logon supports both client and server operating systems.
Clients:
Servers (GUI and core installs):
Duo Authentication for Windows Logon also requires .NET Framework 4.5 or later. If the correct .NET version is not present on your system then Duo setup prompts you to install the .NET Framework.
Ensure your system's time is correct before installing Duo.
Log in to the Duo Admin Panel and navigate to Applications.
Click Protect an Application and locate Microsoft RDP in the applications list. Click Protect this Application to get your integration key, secret key, and API hostname. (See Getting Started for help.) You will need this information to install the Duo application.
We recommend setting the New User Policy for your Microsoft RDP application to Deny Access, as no unenrolled user may complete Duo enrollment via this application.
Download the Duo Authentication for Windows Logon Installer Package.
The security of your Duo application is tied to the security of your secret key (skey). Secure it as you would any sensitive credential. Don't share it with unauthorized individuals or email it to anyone under any circumstances!
Add your first user to Duo, either manually or using bulk enrollment. The username should match your Windows logon name. Install Duo Mobile and add your account to it so you can use Duo Push. If the user logging in to Windows after Duo is installed does not exist in Duo, the user may not be able to log in.
Run the Duo Authentication for Windows Logon installer with administrative privileges.
When prompted, enter your API Hostname from the Duo Admin Panel and click Next. The installer verifies that your Windows system has connectivity to the Duo service before proceeding.
If the connectivity check fails, ensure that your Windows system is able to communicate with your Duo API hostname over HTTPS (port 443).
Enter your integration key and secret key from the Duo Admin Panel and click Next again.
Select your integration options:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Bypass Duo authentication when offline (FailOpen) | Enable this option to allow user logon without completing two-factor authentication if the Duo Security cloud service is unreachable. Checked by default. |
| Use auto push to authenticate if available | Automatically send a Duo Push or phone call authentication request after primary credential validation. Checked by default. |
| Only prompt for Duo authentication when logging in via RDP | Leave this option unchecked to require Duo two-factor authentication for console and RDP sessions. If enabled, console logons do not require 2FA approval. |
| Enable Smart card support | Select this option to permit use of the Windows smart card login provider as an alternative to Duo authentication. |
Click Next to complete Duo installation.
To test your setup, attempt to log in to your newly-configured system as a user enrolled in Duo.
The Duo authentication prompt appears after you successfully submit your Windows credentials. When auto-push is enabled (the default option), the Duo prompt indicates that a request has been pushed to your phone.
If auto-push is disabled or if you click the Cancel button on the Duo authentication prompt, you can select a different device from the drop-down at the top (if you've enrolled more than one) or select any available factor to verify your identity to Duo:
Remember: if you find that Duo Authentication for Windows Logon has locked you out of your Windows system (e.g. due to a configuration error), you can reboot into Safe Mode to bypass it.
Please see our Duo Authentication for Windows Logon Group Policy documentation.
Need some help? Take a look at the Windows Logon Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page or try searching our Windows Logon Knowledge Base articles or Community discussions. For further assistance, contact Support.
