The short answer
A charge from DUO SECURITY* CISCO corresponds to Duo two-factor authentication (2FA), single sign-on, or zero-trust access licensing from Cisco Systems, Inc.
Why it shows up like this
A line item formatted as DUO SECURITY* CISCO on your bank or credit card statement indicates a software subscription charge from Cisco Systems, Inc. / Duo. Duo Security is an enterprise cybersecurity business that delivers two-factor authentication and single sign-on access tools. When this descriptor appears on your statement, it reflects monthly or annual billing for the Duo Security Multi-Factor Authentication Platform.
Duo Security bills organizations primarily on a per-user licensing model. Unexpected charges often happen when an IT department upgrades an organization beyond the free 10-user tier to paid editions like Duo MFA or Duo Access. Charges can also fluctuate when new staff members are provisioned into company identity systems, triggering automatic seat additions. Similar to other enterprise access management tools like Okta or Auth0, subscriptions renew automatically on a recurring monthly or annual schedule using the payment card registered in the administrator console.
To review the charge details, an account administrator can log into admin.duosecurity.com and open the Billing tab to inspect user seat counts or download official PDF invoices. From that dashboard, administrators can adjust paid seat limits or cancel recurring subscriptions before the next billing cycle. If you do not manage corporate IT accounts and have no affiliation with Duo Security, contact Cisco billing support immediately and inform your card issuer to dispute the unauthorized transaction.
Don’t recognize it? Common scenarios
Corporate credit cards often show unexpected Duo Security charges after organizational growth or security tier upgrades.
Check whether your company IT administrator recently enrolled new team members into multi-factor authentication policies.
- A business administrator upgraded Duo Security from the free 10-user plan to Duo Essentials/MFA.
- Additional employees were added to corporate single sign-on authentication.
- An annual multi-factor authentication licensing agreement renewed.
How to locate the invoice and cancel
Managing your Duo Security subscription requires administrator credentials for the administrative console.
- Log in to Duo Admin Panel review to admin.duosecurity.com using your Duo administrator credentials.
- Check Billing Settings Click on Billing in the left navigation sidebar to view active user counts, invoices, and payment methods.
- Cancel or Downgrade Edition Select Change Edition to downgrade to the free tier or cancel monthly recurring credit card billing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review answers to common questions about Duo Security user licensing and subscription pricing.
How is Duo Security billed?
Duo Security charges a fixed monthly fee per active user ($3 to $9 per user/month depending on MFA, Access, or Beyond tier).
Does Duo offer a free tier?
Yes, Duo provides a free tier for up to 10 users with basic two-factor authentication.
Dispute Rights & Fraud Prevention
Cardholders who discover fraudulent corporate software charges should notify their financial institution within 60 days to initiate chargeback protections.
Promptly notifying your card provider prevents ongoing automated monthly licensing renewals on compromised payment cards.
Independent reference — not affiliated with Cisco Systems, Inc.. Billing names and policies change; verify with the merchant or your bank before acting.
Verified sources
Every claim on this page is checked against official sources — open them to confirm before you call your bank.
- Duo Security Pricing Editions https://duo.com
- CFPB: Disputing Unrecognized Charges https://www.consumerfinance.gov
Reviewed Aug 15, 2026 · high · About UnknownCharges