Cisco Duo Reimagines Identity Security to Combat AI Era Threats

Rhea-AI Summary

Cisco (CSCO) has unveiled Duo Identity and Access Management (IAM), a groundbreaking security solution designed to combat AI-era identity threats. The announcement comes as identity-based attacks account for 60% of Cisco Talos Incident Response cases in 2024. The new solution builds upon Duo's trusted multifactor authentication (MFA) platform, introducing key features including:

• A new User Directory for managing identities and access
• Complete Passwordless authentication
• Proximity Verification using Bluetooth Low Energy
• Session Theft Protection through Duo Passport
• Integration with Cisco Identity Intelligence for AI-driven analytics

The solution aims to provide comprehensive identity security without requiring expensive hardware keys, while maintaining user productivity. According to Cisco's 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index, nearly one-third of companies worldwide consider identity their top cybersecurity challenge.

Positive

• Addresses a critical market need with identity-based attacks accounting for 60% of incident response cases
• Integrates with existing third-party identity systems through the Identity Routing Engine
• Incorporates AI capabilities through Cisco AI Assistant for easier deployment and management
• Eliminates the need for expensive hardware keys while maintaining security

Negative

• None.

Insights

Cybersecurity Analyst

Cisco's new Duo IAM solution strengthens its cybersecurity portfolio, addressing critical identity-based threats in a high-growth market segment.

Cisco's expansion of its Duo platform from MFA into a comprehensive Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution represents a strategic product evolution in response to alarming market trends. With identity-based attacks accounting for 60% of Cisco Talos Incident Response cases in 2024 and nearly a third of companies worldwide ranking identity as their top cybersecurity challenge according to Cisco's research, this move addresses a significant market need.

The new offering includes several technical advancements that differentiate it from competitors: a User Directory for centralized identity management, an Identity Routing Engine for flexible integration with existing systems, and enhanced phishing-resistance features like Complete Passwordless authentication, Proximity Verification using Bluetooth Low Energy, and Session Theft Protection. These features are particularly timely as AI-powered social engineering attacks accelerate.

What's most compelling is Cisco's approach of building security into the foundation rather than treating it as an optional layer. This "security-first" positioning contrasts with traditional IAM solutions and aligns with zero-trust architecture principles that are increasingly becoming standard requirements in enterprise environments. The integration with Cisco Security Cloud platform provides AI-driven behavioral analytics and unified identity intelligence that leverages Cisco's network visibility advantages.

For Cisco investors, this represents potential revenue growth in the identity security segment while strategically strengthening Cisco's broader security portfolio. By expanding Duo beyond MFA into a full IAM solution, Cisco is increasing its total addressable market and creating upsell opportunities within its existing customer base, particularly as organizations face increasing regulatory pressure and threat sophistication in identity management.

New Duo IAM delivers comprehensive identity security that organizations can trust

News Summary:

• Cisco Duo unveiled an innovative, security-first Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution.
• Duo IAM protects against modern AI-driven identity threats, while maintaining user productivity.
• Building on its globally trusted multifactor authentication (MFA), Duo IAM sets a new standard for end-to-end phishing resistance without expensive hardware keys.

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the leader in security and networking, today unveiled Duo Identity and Access Management (IAM), a new security solution that transforms how organizations combat persistent identity-based attacks that are accelerating in the AI era. Identity is a prime target for bad actors, accounting for 60% of Cisco Talos Incident Response cases in 2024, because current solutions have critical weaknesses that attackers exploit. Duo IAM offers an innovative and security-first approach, with added protection built on its globally trusted multifactor authentication (MFA). Duo IAM is the latest advancement in Cisco's long-standing commitment to user-friendly Zero Trust security.

"The security industry is facing an 'identity crisis' as persistent identity-based attacks are among the most dangerous and costly challenges for security teams. Attackers don't need to hack in, when they can simply log in," said Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer, Cisco. "While identity is the foundation of strong security, traditional IAM solutions have failed to prioritize security despite increasingly sophisticated threats. With this massive innovation, Duo is moving beyond MFA and restoring trust in identity security with a fundamentally different approach that attackers hate and users love."

Security-First Identity and Access Management
According to Cisco's 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index, nearly a third of companies worldwide rank identity as their top cybersecurity challenge, but traditional IAM solutions often treat security as optional rather than foundational. Purpose-built to protect against modern identity threats, Duo IAM enables organizations to securely manage their entire identity infrastructure.

Duo includes a new User Directory to simplify storing user identities – including usernames, emails, and roles – and managing their access to resources. Paired with its existing capabilities including MFA and Single Sign On (SSO) to provide users with simple, easy and secure access to hundreds of applications from one login page, Duo now offers customers a comprehensive IAM solution.

Open and flexible, Duo IAM also integrates effortlessly with existing third-party identity systems. The new Identity Routing Engine allows Duo to integrate with many identity providers either as an identity broker or as a secondary identity provider. Incorporating security by default, Duo IAM frustrates attackers, while improving user experience and management costs. The Cisco AI Assistant is embedded in Duo to help organizations easily deploy and manage the new solution out-of-the-box.

End-to-End Phishing-Resistance
AI has accelerated the scale and complexity of account takeover through automated agentic social engineering. In response to rising threats, globally trusted Duo MFA now delivers the strongest form of authentication, without sacrificing convenience or purchasing expensive hardware keys. Recent innovations strengthening end-to-end phishing resistance include:

• Complete Passwordless: New option ensures a secure authentication experience without users ever having to use or remember a password.
• Proximity Verification: This capability uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to ensure a user's mobile and access devices are near each other when authenticating.
• Session Theft Protection: New enhancements to Duo Passport remove the reliance on browser cookies from authentication, protecting against session theft and hijacking.

Unified Identity Intelligence
Identity infrastructure is complex and often disconnected, creating blind spots where attacks and vulnerabilities go unnoticed. To help organizations continuously monitor and respond to changes in identity risk, Duo IAM integrates with Cisco Identity Intelligence, connecting identity and access data across the Cisco Security Cloud platform. With AI-driven behavioral analytics and Cisco's unmatched reach into the network, organizations gain comprehensive visibility, threat detection, and the ability to take graduated responses like quarantining an identity, killing active sessions or isolating the network.

"Cisco Duo has been a trusted security partner when it comes to MFA, and in today's environment we're eager to use these new capabilities to fight growing identity-based attacks," said Todd Perrault, Senior Vice President of Client Advisory, Optiv. "Duo's expanding suite of identity and access management solutions will deliver even stronger results for our customers with a security-first approach to identity while providing reduced friction for end users."

"Identity breaches are no longer the exception—they're the rule. Seeing a trusted security brand like Duo broaden from access management to include identity management and provide a security-first approach in the market is both timely and refreshing," said Todd Thiemann, Principal Analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. "Duo's commitment to maximizing security while minimizing user and admin friction is exactly what the industry needs. In particular, their approach to end-to-end phishing resistance marks a major leap forward, not just in security, but also in ease of deployment, to combat the latest identity threats."

For more information about Duo and its new IAM solution, visit duo.com.

Additional Resources:

• Blog: Meet the New Duo IAM
• Report: Cisco Talos 2024 Year in Review
• Report: Cisco 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index
• Virtual Event: Duo IAM LinkedIn Live

About Cisco
 Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that is revolutionizing the way organizations connect and protect in the AI era. For more than 40 years, Cisco has securely connected the world. With its industry leading AI-powered solutions and services, Cisco enables its customers, partners and communities to unlock innovation, enhance productivity and strengthen digital resilience. With purpose at its core, Cisco remains committed to creating a more connected and inclusive future for all. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on X at @Cisco.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at http://www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word 'partner' does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

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SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc.

FAQ

What new security features does Cisco's Duo IAM solution offer?

Cisco's Duo IAM offers Complete Passwordless authentication, Proximity Verification using Bluetooth Low Energy, Session Theft Protection through Duo Passport, and integration with Cisco Identity Intelligence for AI-driven analytics.

How does CSCO's new Duo IAM address AI-era security threats?

Duo IAM provides end-to-end phishing resistance, AI-driven behavioral analytics, and comprehensive identity security without expensive hardware keys, specifically designed to combat automated agentic social engineering attacks.

What percentage of Cisco Talos Incident Response cases were identity-based attacks in 2024?

Identity-based attacks accounted for 60% of Cisco Talos Incident Response cases in 2024.

How does Cisco Duo's new User Directory feature work?

The User Directory simplifies storing user identities, including usernames, emails, and roles, and manages their access to resources, working alongside MFA and Single Sign On capabilities.

What is the market need for CSCO's new identity security solution?

According to Cisco's 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index, nearly one-third of companies worldwide rank identity as their top cybersecurity challenge, highlighting the critical need for enhanced identity security solutions.