Passwords: Selecting and Changing

Selecting Passwords

Most of our servers and computers are directly accessible from the internet and the security of our systems starts with each of us selecting a strong and suitable password. Password selection is not always easy, you want a password that is difficult for someone else to guess, but easy for you to remember.

  • Never share your password with anyone, if they need an account they should ask for an account.
  • Avoid using your username as your password.
  • Avoid using the same password on multiple systems.
  • Avoid using dictionary words or words from other languages.
  • Change your password every six months or sooner.
Pointers for Password Selection

Avoid a string of characters in succession: 123456, ABCDEF, or !@#$%^ are examples of successives.

Good passwords contain 4 character classes. Character classes are the following:

  • Uppercase character
  • Lowercase Character
  • Symbol
  • Number

An example password method is to think of a phrase and adopt it for your use:
My pet Bird Cat Jamie is 9 years old!
From the above we could use the first character of each word to give us: MpBCJi9yo!

In order to change your password:
Windows: Press: Ctrl+Alt+Del. Select the Change Password button.

Windows 2000

Another window box will open:

Windows Box

Enter your old password once.
Then your new password twice.

Linux

logon to babyred.mtholyoke.edu using an ssh client.

[csuser@babyred ~]$ password
Changing password for user csuser.
Changing password for csuser
(current) UNIX password:
New password:
Retype new password:
password: all authentication tokens updated successfully.
[csuser@babyred ~]$

Passwords, once modified are IMMEDIATELY changed throughout the ENTIRE SYSTEM.