Q: How do I login to MIT services that leverage Duo two-factor authentication?

Touchstone and Duo updates March 22 Touchstone and Duo authentication has been updated with some visual changes and an improved two-factor authentication experience as Information Systems and Technology (IS&T) implemented updates to the Institute's single sign-on web authentication service on Friday, March 22. IS&T News: Touchstone and Duo updates coming March 22 Duo Universal Prompt Guide

On this page:

Authenticating via Touchstone with the Duo authentication requirement enabled

1. Launch a webpage (Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer), that requires Touchstone authentication and begin to authenticate as normal.
2. Once you have completed the Touchstone authentication steps (via Certificates, kerberos tickets or kerberos username and password), the universal Duo prompt will automatically select your preferred authentication method and attempt to authenticate that way. In the case of a Duo Push, it will send one to you without prompting.
   
   
   
   If you have not selected a preferred authentication method, it will select the one it considers most secure.
3. To choose another authentication method, click the "Other options" link.
   
   
   
   Result: A personalized list of other options for authentication will open. Which options appear depend on which authentication methods you set up when you registered for Duo.
   
   
   
   
4. Select the option you want to use to authenticate, and authenticate with that method as usual.

Duo Push

1. If it did not default to this, select "Duo Push" from the options as shown above.
2. A request will be sent to your mobile device via the Duo app
   You must have an active mobile (cellular) or wifi connection to receive this request
3. Tap Approve on your Mobile Device's Duo app. It should look similar to this:
   
   
   
   
4. Result: Your web browser's Touchstone session should automatically complete authentication

   If your mobile phone doesn't automatically show the Duo Push request, you can force a refresh of push requests by tapping and dragging the "MIT" account downwards on your phone.

Phone Call

1. If it did not default to this, select "Phone Call" from the options as shown above.
2. An automated attendant will call your phone
3. Answer and wait for the Duo automated message to begin playing
4. Push any valid dialpad key on your phone (0-9,# or *) and hang-up
5. Result: Your web browser's Touchstone session should automatically complete authentication
   

Passcode

Effective January 23,2024 - Touchstone no longer accepts passcodes from the Duo mobile app as a second authentication factor. Passcodes sent via SMS will be limited to one per message, with a five-minute expiration time.

1. If it did not default to this, select "Text message passcode" from the options as shown above.
   _Result: The passcode entry screen displays and you will receive a passcode via text message at the number specified.
   
   
   
   
2. Enter the passcode in the field provided to authenticate. Click Verfiy.

Connect to a Duo-protected Microsoft Windows machine with Remote Desktop Connection (RDP)

1. Launch Microsoft Remote Desktop and enter the hostname or IP address of the machine you wish to connect to (note: you may have to connect to MIT's VPN service to use RDP).
   
2. When presented with the Windows login screen, enter your MIT username and password.
3. In the field labeled "Duo Password" you can enter one of the following options:
   1. push - Duo will send a push notification to your registered cell phone with the Duo Security mobile app installed
   2. sms - Duo will send an SMS to your registered cell phone
   3. phone - Duo will call your registered cell phone
   4. The one time code generated by your hardware token or the Duo Security mobile app (the code changes ever 60 seconds)
      
      In this example, we've entered "push" in the "Duo Password" field.
      

      'How to call different devices' If you have multiple devices that can use the same method, for instance two mobile phones or two phones that can receive phone calls, you can reference them by different numbers. For instance, to call the top device on your managed devices page (http://duo.mit.edu.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au), you can use 'phone' (for the default) or 'phone1' to call the second phone, you can use 'phone2'.

      
      

4. In this example, you will receive a push notification on your cell phone. Click Approve.
   
5. The remote Windows system should now complete authentication and the Remote Desktop Connection will complete.
   

Acquire Kerberos tickets for a Duo-protected principal using kinit

1. Log into an Athena machine (e.g. ssh athena.dialup.mit.edu).
   
2. Initiate Kerberos ticket acquisition (e.g. kinit username/root) and enter the appropriate Kerberos password when prompted.
   Note: not all Kerberos accounts will be protected with Duo. Typically, only root accounts or users with escalated privileges (e.g. username/root or username/extra) will be protected with Duo.
   
3. The Duo two-factor system will now challenge your login asking for a method to contact you. You can hit the "Enter" key to see all the options available to you. By default, option "1" will send a push notification to the Duo mobile app.
   
   In this example, we've entered "1" as the option.
   Note: You will not see any input on the screen as you type.
   
4. Duo will now output, "Press return after completing Duo authentication."
   
5. In this example, you will receive a push notification on your cell phone. Click Approve.
   
6. Back in your console window, click the Enter key.
7. If you have not received any error messages, you should be back at the > prompt and have valid Kerberos tickets.
   
8. You can view your Kerberos tickets by running klist from within your console window.
   

Also See
Configuring MacPorts Kerberos for Duo Authentication