Settling in with Okta

Since Okta has replaced Duo, you may have noticed some differences in how the two systems operate. We'd like to provide some information and acknowledge some of the feedback we've received.

Okta is more than a Duo replacement

Okta is a complete, modern, identity and access management system that includes an authenticator app (Okta Verify). Okta assigns eIDs, manages passwords, processes your logins, and protects your account. To protect you effectively, it makes decisions about each of your attempts to access a JMU system based on your previous behavior. Sometimes, this means that you might have to provide Okta with additional information when you weren’t expecting it. For example, if you log in to a JMU system at 4:00 AM, something you don’t normally do, Okta may present you with a “number challenge” prompt because it recognizes the login as unusual. Once Okta has adjusted to your patterns, it will make decisions to better balance security and usability, but it will probably always ask you to complete authentication a bit more often than Duo did. It’s doing all this to improve the security of your account and data.

Okta's "Remember Me" feature works differently than Duo's

When you click “Remember Me” during the login process, you are telling Okta to remember you while your session remains active. Say you are working in a JMU system, and you close your browser. If you suddenly remember something else you want to do in that system, and you reopen your browser and return to the system, you likely will not have to log in again. That is the purpose of Okta’s “Remember Me” feature.  It is intended to reduce the number of times you must log in, but it is not intended to allow you to take an extended break from a system without logging in upon your return.

We value your feedback

As JMU gains experience with Okta, we will make adjustments as we learn. That’s why we value your feedback, because we use it as a factor in making decisions. We also monitor industry best practices and try to stay one step ahead of criminals who try to access JMU accounts or steal JMU data. To ask questions or to provide Okta feedback, please contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@jmu.edu.

Thank you,
Information Technology