AgriLife Information Technology

About Duo Two-Factor Authentication

Duo Two-Factor Authentication was activated June 1, 2018 to comply with TAMU system polices.

What is Two-Factor Authentication?

Two-factor authentication is a method of security that requires verifying your identity to prevent your accounts from being compromised.
The two factors are:
1. your username and password
2. approving the login using your smart phone

How does it work?

With Duo Two-Factor Authentication, you protect your AgNet ID account with:

  1. something you KNOW (your AgNet ID and password)
  2. something you HAVE (your Duo-enrolled device)


Once you have enrolled in Duo Two-Factor Authentication for your AgNet ID, you will log in as usual with your AgNet ID and password, and then verify your identity by accepting a push notification from the mobile app, entering a passcode sent in a text message or answering a phone call.

To sum it up, Duo works using 3 steps:

  1. Enter your AgNet ID and password when prompted
  2. Use the phone number you provide to request a call, text, or push in the mobile app to approve your login
  3. Once you approve, you will be logged in

Why do I need DUO?

DUO and AgriLife IT never see your password.

Passwords are increasingly easy to compromise. They can often be stolen, guessed, or hacked — you might not even know someone is accessing your account.
Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of security to your AgNetID, keeping your account secure even if your password is compromised. You’ll be alerted right away on your enrolled mobile device if someone is trying to log in as you.
This second factor of authentication is separate and independent from your username and password.


Where do I use DUO and my AgNet ID?

  1. TAMUS SSO Login via AgNet ID (Workday, Concur, Maestro, AggieBuy, TrainTraq)
  2. FirstCall Help Desk
  3. WebCRD (only affects AgriLife Communications Copy Services Staff)
  4. Office 365 web applications
  5. AgriLife WordPress sites

Supported Browsers

Duo is supported in Chrome, Internet Explorer 8, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Safari, and Firefox.

Supported Devices

DUO can be used on the following devices:

Click here for setup directions


What if I don’t have a smartphone, mobile phone, or direct office line?

If you do not have a smartphone, or SMS-enabled mobile phone or direct phone line to your office. The only remaining option is to use a USB key device to perform DUO authentication. This device plugs into your computer USB and has a button on it that would be pressed to perform the two-factor authentication. AgriLife recommends the following Yubikey “NEO” device which is DUO compatible. Ask your department purchasing agent to procure as need be:
Purchase a YubiKey NEO here.

Updated on May 1, 2023

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