Password Guidelines

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Why Do I Have To Change My Password?

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First of all, it's important to understand just what your password is and what it represents. You have a user name, or Network ID, that is the technology equivalent of your name. Your password is a unique sequence of characters that is the technology equivalent of your signature. Just as a bank would not cash a check that did not show your valid written signature, a computer security system will not let you access its functions without a valid password.

There are many different computer systems throughout the campus and many require their own department's authorization for access. The access granted through Information Technology allows you to access your email via your Network ID and password. This ID and password is also linked to another system known as Active Directory that allows you to access the computers in labs and Morris Library. They are separate databases, but linked. And just as your bank requires you to have a PIN number to access your debit card and one to access your on-line banking, the default Network Password must be changed to a password of your choosing to integrate your identity into Active Directory.

Requiring you to change your password from the default is also to protect you. By default the password is the last 4 digits of your social security number and your PIN number, in many cases it is formed from the day and year of your birth. If your wallet is stolen and the thief has your personal information or your Network Password is compromised the criminal now has a name and password to try on other web sites such as Amazon.com, your bank, other e-mail accounts, etc. You might not particularly care if someone views your e-mail, but most people would be extremely upset to find someone has stolen money from their bank account, or even worse, gathered all their personal information and committed identity theft. You are held solely accountable for any e-mail or activity that comes from your account.It is in your best interest to safeguard your account information.

HOW DO I CHOOSE A SAFE PASSWORD?

Choose a "good" password-something that means something to you but no one else. Make it very difficult for anyone to guess your password.

NEVER give anyone your password.

Never use any names of spouses, children, pets, etc.

Don't use any personal information, address, phone number, etc.

Don't use simple sequences like 1234, asdfg, etc.

Don't use anything connected with your school, SIU, Saluki, Dawgs, etc.

Use a random mix of letters and numbers and throw in a capital or two.

Finally, use a little common sense and choose something that you can still REMEMBER.
A very strong password is not going to do you any good if you must write it down to remember it. Choose a password that somehow makes sense to YOU, and that you can remember easily enough not to be forced to commit it to paper and thus expose it to possible discovery.

Current guidelines for Network Passwords are:

A password must contain at least 5 unique characters. More is definitely better. (We recommend at least eight.)

A password must contain a mixture of at least two of the following three types of characters:
upper-case letters

lower-case letters

numbers or punctuation characters (such as the percent, number, or dollar signs)

Must not contain a word found in the dictionary, spelled either forward or backward.

Should not contain personal information such as social security number, your personal name, etc.

Your password cannot contain your complete Network ID.

HOW IS SIU HELPING TO PROTECT ME?

The most obvious way to help you is to require you to change your default password. You are required to change from your default password in order to access the Active Directory and be able to log on to computers in the Computer Learning Centers and Morris Library.

Also, when attempting to access some systems, your account will also be automatically locked out after 10 failed attempts to enter a password. This includes attempts that you may make if you have forgotten your password, attempts made by random hackers or automated password-cracking machines.

If you find you are unable to access your account and are sure you have the correct user name and password, come to the IT Help Desk in the Northwest Annex, A Wing, room 137A with a photo ID and we can unlock your account and/or reset your password.

We MUST see a photo ID to do anything with your personal account information. You may feel inconvenienced if we are unable to help you because you have forgotten your ID, but it is for your own protection. Without photo ID as proof that you are the owner of the account, anyone could have your password reset and be able to access your account. We also cannot tell you what your old password is once you have changed it. All passwords are encrypted and cannot be seen by anyone. If you have forgotten your password, we will reset it and then have you change it to one of your own choosing.

Comments: IT Webmaster