CAO Enhances Security with Amazon Cognito MFA via No-Code Datawiza
Datawiza is the ideal solution for adding MFA to on-prem applications without the need to overhaul existing code or infrastructure.
Ronan Hurley
IT Administrator at CAO
Customer: Central Applications Office (CAO) Industry: Higher Education Administration
Background
The Central Applications Office (CAO) is crucial in managing applications for undergraduate courses at Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). CAO’s extranet platform enables admissions officers at these institutions to authorize offers and evaluate applicants, while a dedicated team executes the actual offer-making process.
The Challenge
Before implementing Datawiza’s solution, CAO encountered significant hurdles with its existing multi-factor authentication (MFA) system:
- Inefficient SMS-Based MFA: The previous reliance on SMS text messages for MFA resulted in a high rate of delivery failures, leading to frequent authentication issues and user frustration.
- Fragmented Identity Management: User identities were stored locally, complicating seamless transitions between data centres and exposing the system to compliance risks.
The Decision-Making Process
In their quest to enhance security without disrupting existing operations, CAO evaluated multiple options. After considering alternatives such as building an in-house solution with AWS SDK, CAO opted for Datawiza’s no/low-code solution because it offered:
- Rapid, Minimal-Code Integration: The approach allowed for the smooth integration of Amazon Cognito MFA, eliminating the need for extensive code rewrites or significant server modifications.
- Reduced Onboarding Complexity: Datawiza’s solution seamlessly connected with CAO’s on-premises applications, ensuring that security enhancements were achieved quickly and with minimal disruption.
- Improved User Experience: By moving away from the unreliable SMS-based system, CAO was able to offer a more dependable and secure authentication method.
Implementation Experience
The integration of Amazon Cognito MFA through Datawiza was both straightforward and impactful:
- Seamless Amazon Cognito MFA Integration: Datawiza’s platform provided a clean, efficient pathway to integrate Amazon Cognito MFA with CAO’s on-premises systems. This eliminated the need for complex workarounds and reduced development time.
- Exceptional Support: The Datawiza team offered hands-on guidance throughout the deployment, ensuring that the integration process was smooth and that all technical challenges were promptly addressed.
Outcomes & Impact
By integrating Amazon Cognito MFA via Datawiza, CAO achieved measurable improvements:
- Enhanced Security & Compliance: The new MFA solution has significantly reduced authentication failures and helped align CAO with upcoming NIS2 regulations.
- Operational Efficiency: With minimal code modifications and a simplified integration process, CAO was able to quickly transition to a more secure, robust authentication system.
Customer Testimonial
Reflecting on the successful integration, Ronan Hurley, IT Administrator, at CAO shared:
Datawiza’s solution allowed us to seamlessly integrate Amazon Cognito MFA into our on-prem apps without the need for complex code changes. The team at Datawiza were extremely helpful and understanding, making the entire process smooth and efficient.
Ronan Hurley
IT Administrator at CAO
