What to do if you receive a suspicious Duo request

Blinn College has added an extra layer of security to protect faculty, staff, and student accounts

September 19, 2024

With the introduction of Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Blinn College has added an extra layer of security to protect faculty, staff, and student accounts. However, this enhanced security also has led to an increase in suspicious Duo requests.

A common scenario is receiving a Duo push notification, even though the student, faculty, or staff member is not actively trying to log in. This can raise concerns about potential fraudulent attempts to access the account. However, not all unexpected Duo requests are malicious. These notifications can sometimes be triggered by a family member using a shared device or by the user accidentally activating the request.

If you believe someone is trying to access your Blinn account with malicious intent, it is important to act quickly. Deny the Duo push and select "Yes" when asked if this was a suspicious login attempt. Then, immediately reset your Blinn password. You can easily reset your password by visiting password.blinn.edu or by going to the myBLINN login page and clicking "Forgot Password." This step ensures that unauthorized users will no longer have access to your account.

After resetting your password, review your account's security settings and make sure your contact information is current to help with account recovery if needed.

While Duo MFA significantly increases the security of Blinn accounts, it is crucial to stay vigilant. Recognizing the possibility of false alarms and knowing how to respond to a suspicious Duo request can reduce risks. By promptly denying suspicious login attempts, resetting passwords, following best practices for password security, and regularly monitoring your account activity, you can help protect your personal and academic information.

For further assistance or to report suspicious activity, visit the Blinn Portal Support page.