Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Information Technology

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Why Do I Have To Change My Password?

First of all, it is 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 web-mail 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 the ddyy of your birth. If your wallet is stolen and the thief has your personal information or your Network Password is compromised a hacker 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.

HOW DO I CHOOSE A SAFE PASSWORD?

Choose a "good" password – something that has meaning 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.

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

Current guidelines for Network Passwords:

Must contain at least 8 characters and may contain up to 255.

Must contain a mixture of upper case letters AND lower case letters AND numbers AND "special" characters (such as !, @, #, $, %, and so on).

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

Must not contain personal information such as social security number, your network ID, your personal name, etc.

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, 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 others or attempts made from random hackers or 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 Computer Support Center in the Northwest Annex Building A Room 137A with a photo id and we can unlock and/or reset your password.

We MUST have a photo ID. 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 totally forgotten your password, we will reset it and then have you change it to one of your own choosing.

Comments: IT Webmaster