UNMC and Nebraska Medicine Information Technology is providing an update on recent Duo authentication issues some users have encountered, as part of a recent change to the Duo and Microsoft 365 login experience that was shared in a March 24 UNMC Today article.
The main cause of having to authenticate multiple times recently was due to the authentication session length setting, which was originally set at eight hours. However, due to the way Microsoft manages its authenticated period, this was stricter than expected, especially for those using mobile devices. We also discovered and fixed a bug related to having both Duo and Authenticator installed on the same mobile device, which added to the challenges.
To improve the user experience, IT has updated the session’s expiration to 30 days. This change should help make sign-ins smoother for all users, particularly on mobile. IT also is reviewing its enterprise applications to determine if any should require reauthentication after eight hours to maintain a good balance between security and convenience.
IT thanks everyone for their patience as these adjustments are made to enhance the med center’s information security. If any users have questions or continue to experience issues, contact the IT Help Desk at 402-559-7700 or via the IT Help Desk email.