Password Policies

Your password is the only way the computer can verify someone logging in with your account number (also known as your login name, user ID or UT EID) is really you.

When you open an ce-lrc account, you will be assigned an original password, which will serve as the starting password for your account. Keep this original password safe and always change it as soon as you log in for the first time.

All users on the ce-lrc network are expected to choose strong passwords and guard them well. If someone else obtains your password, they can use your account to access your private data, alter or destroy your files and perform illegal or inappropriate activities in your name. In such cases, it is difficult to find the culprit. Ultimately, you are responsible for your account and any activities performed using it.

By protecting your password and your account, you are protecting everyone who uses ce-lrc computer systems.

Choosing Your Password

If your computer is attached to the network or your account is on a machine on the network or Internet, someone else on the network can have their computer test hundreds of password combinations against yours every second. This is called “brute-force” password cracking, and the best protection against it is a strong password.

Choosing a Strong Password

A strong password is as long as possible. Always use at least six characters in your password; most systems on campus allow up to eight characters. The longer the password, the more difficult it is to attack with a brute-force search.

Strong passwords:

• Have both upper and lower case letters.
• Have digits and/or punctuation characters as well as letters.
• Are easy to remember, so they do not have to be written down.
• Are seven or eight characters long.
• Can be typed quickly, so someone else cannot look over your shoulder and learn it.

You might also try using phrases for strong passwords, for example:

• rsKf0myH&1W2sYU - Raindrops keep falling on my head and I want to steal your umbrella.
• wru2rxy? - Who are you to ask why.
• bWiIso3! - Beware the ides of March!

A strong password is not:

• Personal information such as your name, phone number, social security number, birth date or address. Even names of acquaintances and the like should not be used.
• Any word in the dictionary, or based closely on such a word (such as a word spelled backwards).
• A word with letters simply replaced by digits. For example, bl0wf1sh is not a strong password.
• Easy to spot while you're typing them in. Passwords like 12345, qwerty (i.e., all keys right next to each other), or nnnnnn should be avoided.

Even if your passwords are strong, ce-lrc recommends you change them approximately every six months. Also, never use your ce-lrc passwords for other online services such as shopping or free e-mail accounts. You should have a unique password for your ce-lrc accounts.

If you need assistance, please use the Request Assistance form. Thank you.