Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) using Duo is now mandatory on all UC Merced accounts effective May 27th 2025.
Why now?
At the start of the Fall 2024 term, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) announced ProtectUs: System-wide Cybersecurity Initiative as a response to the University of California, Office of the President (UCOP) cybersecurity mandate. Simply, the mandate requires that all accounts be secured with 2FA. You can learn more about Duo and its history at UC Merced, by visiting our 2FA website for more details.
Are there any differences using Duo on a Service Account compared to a personal account?
Yes. While push notifications are convenient for personal accounts, service accounts are often shared and accessed by multiple people. Given the way Duo push notifications work, we discovered during testing this can often lead to confusion with people getting pushes without knowing where they are coming from. To help avoid this, we have instead configured service accounts to be accessed by entering the 6-digit code provided by the Duo app.
So what do I need to do?
Beginning, May 27th 2025, Duo will be automatically enabled for all required accounts. In advance of the mandatory deadline, we are providing the ability for you to enroll at your convenience and secure your account with Duo. You can accomplish this by following the steps outlined on our 2FA website.
If you have a service account where utilizing 2FA may be a problem, please open a security exception consultation and we can propose a specific solution for your use case.
If you need assistance enrolling in 2FA, please reach out to the Office of Information Technology Service Desk at helpdesk@ucmerced.edu or call (209) CAT-HELP. If you want in-person assistance you can also visit the Service Desk location in COB 127.
