Duke University and Duke University Health System needed a way to protect tens of thousands of users who regularly sign in to Duke’s digital services. Weak and reused passwords were a major concern, and their previous password manager wasn’t widely adopted or used consistently.

By moving to 1Password, Duke was able to triple its security coverage compared to the previous solution. More staff and students now actively use a password manager to generate and store strong, unique passwords, which directly reduces the risk of weak passwords and data breaches.

Key outcomes included:

• Tripled enrollment in the password manager during the migration.
• More coordinated use of shared vaults instead of multiple people logging into the same account.
• Clear separation between personal and Duke-related credentials.

As Nick Tripp, Senior Manager in Duke’s IT Security Office, put it, password security is the backbone of their security approach, and 1Password helped them put that into practice at scale.

Duke had already tried a different password manager, but adoption and day-to-day use were limited. Many people simply didn’t use it, and those who did often struggled to fit it into their workflows.

Some of the specific issues they saw:

• Poor adoption: many users ignored the tool altogether.
• Improper usage patterns: at least five groups were sharing a single account and one vault.
• Mixed data: people stored Duke-related data in personal accounts, with work and personal credentials blended together.
• Few coordinated IT groups: very few IT support teams were using the tool in a structured way.

When evaluating alternatives, 1Password stood out because many staff, including Nick Tripp, were already using it personally and trusted its user experience. That familiarity helped Duke reimagine how password management should work across the institution.

With 1Password, Duke gained:

• Simpler admin controls that make it easier to set up, manage, and support users.
• Better user experience, which encouraged more people to adopt secure password habits.
• Support resources and documentation that Duke could build on to strengthen its own internal guidance.

Duke treated the 1Password rollout as both a technology and a behavior change initiative. The IT Security Office and Health Security Office focused on making the transition straightforward and supported.

Their approach included:

• Structured training: teams received an initial one-hour onboarding session, followed by 30-minute follow-ups as needed.
• Concept-first education: once users understood the core ideas of password management, the transition to 1Password was smooth.
• Leveraging ease of use: 1Password’s interface and workflows made it easier for people to integrate secure password practices into their daily routines.
• Using 1Password resources: Duke relied on 1Password’s support library and learning materials to enhance their own internal documentation.

The result was a significant increase in staff and student uptake. Duke effectively tripled enrollment in their password manager during the migration, leading to more people than ever practicing proper password management—an overall win for the university’s security posture.