Workday expands security toolset with Duo partnership

Published On : 01/18/2018

Integration of Duo’s multi-factor authentication strengthens customer security to help ensure the right people access Workday

Workday, Inc.(NASDAQ: WDAY), a leader in enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources, today announced a partnership with Security, a cybersecurity leader specialising in trusted access and multi-factor authentication (MFA) technologies that are easy to use, yet powerful in ensuring the right people are accessing the right applications. As part of the partnership, Workday will complement its robust, built-in security with seamless integrations that enable customers to leverage Duo’s MFA functionality right within Workday’s user interface. With this joint, expanded toolset in one experience, organisations can further strengthen safeguards to mitigate phishing incidents and ensure validated, trusted access to Workday anytime, from any device.

Expanded security toolset in one Workday experience

The composition of today’s workforce is ever-changing as organisations employ teams comprised of full-time, freelance, and contingent workers, among others, who increasingly are working across different kinds of devices and locations. This, coupled with greater volumes of sensitive, worker-related data and more intelligent phishing and cybersecurity threats, has organisations asking for better methods to keep workers productive with access to critical business applications when, where, and how they prefer – in a more secure environment.

With this influx of worker types, data, devices, and security threats, Workday saw an opportunity to expand its security offerings by bringing Duo’s industry-leading trusted access technologies into its product suite using the latest in visual integration technology. With Duo and Workday in one seamless experience, Workday customers will benefit from:

• Greater flexibility for today’s mobile workforce – Customers will be able to leverage Duo’s global and comprehensive MFA product to provide more flexibility for workers of all types. For example, customers with sales teams who travel often – switching between corporate and outside networks and working regularly from smartphones – can trust that team members are securely logging into Workday once they have authenticated access with Duo on their mobile device.
• Stepped-up security over the most sensitive data – With Duo’s MFA offerings in conjunction with Workday’s step-up authentication, administrators can further limit access to the most sensitive data and resources in Workday. For example, if an employee’s smartphone is inadvertently placed in the wrong hands, administrators can rest assured that several steps of identity verification are required before sensitive information like payment elections are accessed or changed.
• More awareness and control of vulnerable devices – Combining Duo’s contextual understanding of devices and device health with Workday’s extensive knowledge of worker identity, provides customers with a superior offering for secure access in an increasingly mobile world. For example, because Duo can recognise device health indicators such as outdated software, customers could define a policy that prohibits access to Workday by employees who are using devices running vulnerable versions of the operating system.

Comments on the news

“Integrating Duo with Workday is yet another avenue to help ensure that all Workday customers are leveraging MFA to protect their people and businesses,” said Josh DeFigueiredo, chief trust officer, Workday. “Our partnership reinforces both the security protections we built into the Workday technology platform and the commitment we made to safeguard customers’ data since day one.”

“The Ohio State University has partnered with both Duo and Workday since 2015,” said Helen Patton, chief information security officer, The Ohio State University. “Their partnership will help our community deliver on the university’s mission securely and effectively. We look forward to the partnership and the benefits that it will bring to our university.”

“This a natural partnership for two cloud leaders focused on people-centric secure enterprise IT,” said Jon Oberheide, chief technology officer and co-founder, Duo Security. “Together we will help further protect the most sensitive data and applications of our joint customers – no matter where or how they work.”

Wanda Rich

Wanda Rich has been the Editor-in-Chief of Global Banking & Finance Review since 2011, playing a pivotal role in shaping the publication’s content and direction. Under her leadership, the magazine has expanded its global reach and established itself as a trusted source of information and analysis across various financial sectors. She is known for conducting exclusive interviews with industry leaders and oversees the Global Banking & Finance Awards, which recognize innovation and leadership in finance. In addition to Global Banking & Finance Review, Wanda also serves as editor for numerous other platforms, including Asset Digest, Biz Dispatch, Blockchain Tribune, Business Express, Brands Journal, Companies Digest, Economy Standard, Entrepreneur Tribune, Finance Digest, Fintech Herald, Global Islamic Finance Magazine, International Releases, Online World News, Luxury Adviser, Palmbay Herald, Startup Observer, Technology Dispatch, Trading Herald, and Wealth Tribune.