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Duo's WordPress plugin enables two-factor authentication for WordPress logins, complete with inline self-service enrollment and Duo Prompt. The code is open-source and available on GitHub.
The security of your Duo application is tied to the security of your secret key (skey). Secure it as you would any sensitive credential. Don't share it with unauthorized individuals or email it to anyone under any circumstances!
Log in to your WordPress Dashboard as an administrator.
Navigate to Plugins → Add New in the left navigation bar. Then search for "Duo Security" and click Install Now for the Duo Two-Factor Authentication plugin.
To install the Duo two-factor plugin without using the WordPress Plugin directory, first download the Duo plugin as a zipped package from WordPress.
In the WordPress console go to Plugins → Add New and click the Upload Plugin button.
Click Choose File and select the duo_wordpress.zip package you downloaded. Click Install Now to upload Duo's plugin to your WordPress site.
Click Activate Plugin after installing the Duo plugin:
After activation, click Settings to configure the plugin.
Copy and paste your integration key, secret key, and API hostname from the Duo WordPress application you created earlier. You may select which WordPress user roles need to authenticate using Duo. For example, you may only require those users with the "Administrator" role to use two-factor authentication, or require all roles to use two-factor.
To fully secure your WordPress site Duo recommends that you disable XML-RPC. However, this will prevent use of offline Weblog clients and the WordPress mobile app.
Click Save Changes to complete configuration.
Open a new browser (or incognito window) and try to log in to your WordPress account. You should be prompted to set up your two-factor authentication. Complete the enrollment process.
If you plan to permit use of WebAuthn authentication methods (security keys, U2F tokens, or Touch ID), Duo recommends enabling hostname whitelisting for this application and any others that show the inline Duo Prompt before onboarding your end-users.
To update an existing Duo plugin install to the most recent version:
Log into your WordPress Dashboard as an administrator.
If a newer version of the Duo plugin exists then you'll see a notification icon under both Home - Updates and Plugins. Click either one to view the available update.
WordPress lists the available plugin updates. Check the box next to the Duo Two-Factor Authentication plugin to select it, and then click the Update Plugins button (if you clicked the Updates navigational link in step #2), or click the update now link in the Duo plugin description (if you clicked the Plugins navigational link in step #2).
WordPress updates the Duo plugin and reports status when complete.
Need some help? Take a look at the WordPress Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page or try searching our WordPress Knowledge Base articles or Community discussions. For further assistance, contact Support.
