Request for Review of Syria IP Blocking and Duo Access Restrictions

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Dear Okta Community Team and Okta Legal & Compliance Team,

I am reaching out to request a review of the current restrictions preventing access to Okta Duo services from Syria.

I am currently unable to use Duo for my company’s authentication and access requirements when I am physically located in Syria. The restriction appears to be related to Syria being blocked based on its country/IP location.

The situation regarding Syria has changed significantly. The previous comprehensive U.S. sanctions framework on Syria has been revoked, and Syria is no longer listed on the U.S. Department of State’s current list of State Sponsors of Terrorism:

In light of these significant changes, I would kindly ask Okta’s Legal and Compliance teams to reconsider whether a blanket IP restriction on all Syrian IP addresses is still necessary.

I fully understand that Okta may maintain its own internal security, compliance, risk-management, or commercial policies. However, if the current Syria IP block was originally implemented primarily due to the previous U.S. sanctions environment or Syria’s former designation, I would appreciate it if Okta could reassess whether the restriction should now be removed or updated.

Specifically, I would appreciate clarification on the following:

  1. Is Syria still being IP-blocked because of a current legal or regulatory requirement, or is this now an internal Okta policy?

  2. Is Okta currently reviewing its Syria IP-blocking policy following the changes to the U.S. sanctions framework?

  3. If there is no longer a legal requirement for a blanket Syria IP block, could Okta consider removing the restriction?

  4. If a complete removal is not currently possible, could Okta provide an exemption for legitimate existing customers and users who need to access Duo from Syria?

  5. Could Okta also review and update its public documentation regarding Syria to reflect the current regulatory environment?

My request is not to purchase or enable any new services. I am simply requesting access to use Duo for legitimate authentication purposes for an existing company environment while temporarily working from Syria.

I would greatly appreciate it if this request could be forwarded to the appropriate Legal, Compliance, and Policy teams for formal review.

Thank you for taking the time to reconsider this matter. I would be grateful for any clarification regarding the current basis for the Syria IP restriction and whether Okta is planning to update its policy.

Kind regards,