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Information
Technology Services
Location: Zurn
123 HelpDesk: 814-871-7501 Fax: 814-871-5560
Mon -Thurs: 8AM - 11PM, Friday:
8AM - 4:30PM, Sat & Sun: Noon - 9PM
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**Important
Information regarding Password Changes**
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Why is it
necessary to change my network password?
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Your NetworkID and Password
are used to authenticate your access to nearly all network resources (the
network itself, email, MyGannon, GUXpress, network drives, InsideGU, etc.)
and a strong password is the first line of defense to prevent unauthorized
access to all of your personal information and university information.
Were your password to be compromised, a hacker could obtain personal
information to steal your identity, send threats or viruses from your
email account, attempt to access university servers and on-line academic
records, just to name a few examples.
Why is this being
required now?
§
Actually, our IT Auditors have recommended during each of the past 4 audits
that we implement the practice of changing passwords. Because of problems
with Windows 95 and 98 that did not keep your Windows password in sync
with your Network password, they supported our desire not to implement it
knowing the confusion it would cause. Now that Windows XP has resolved
this issue our External Auditors felt very strongly that we needed to
implement the policy and reported as such to our Board of Trustees.
Why do I have to
change it so often and why can't I just flip-flop between 2 passwords?
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The more often a password is changed and the greater duration between
reusing a password, the lower the risk to the individual and the entire
university. We knew these parameters cause some hassle to users, but
we significantly modified the recommendations made by our IT Auditors to
reduce the hassle factor as much as possible while maintaining the
security benefits associated with a password change policy.
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IT Auditor's Recommendation |
Gannon
Implementation |
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Change passwords
a minimum of every 30-60 days (6-12 times per year) |
Change passwords
twice during Fall and Spring semesters (4 times per year) |
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Never reuse
previous password |
Reuse password
after 3 changes |
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Lockout (disable)
access to an account after 3 failed attempts to login and require the
user to physically come into ITS to have it re-enabled |
Lockout after 5
failed attempts and automatically reset after 30 minutes (will still
deter automated password hacking) |
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Password contains
at least 6 characters including; uppercase and lowercase characters,
numeric digits and symbols |
Password contains
at least 6 characters |
How can I remember
my new password?
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Your password should be
difficult for someone else to guess but easy for you to remember (and
type!). The more mixed-up and random it is, the harder it is to crack.
Here are some suggestions for a password that is not too difficult to
remember:
o
An acronym – the first
letter (or two) of each word of a phrase or list.
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Favorite quote – Four score
and seven years ago = FSASYA
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Song or movie title – Close
Encounters of the third kind = CEOTTK
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Use a habit: I like to play
Basketball at 6:00 = IltpB@6
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Uncle's names: Thomas,
James, John, Dom, Lou, Tony = tjjdlt
o
Foreign translation of an
easy to remember word (Even if you don't know a foreign language, there
are translators on the web (e.g.,
http://www.freetranslation.com/ )
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Happy in Italian = felice
§
Patience in Spanish =
paciencia
o
Intersperse the letters and
numbers of an easy to remember word and date
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Dad's birthday is May 15th
= d5a1d5
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Anniversary is September 24th
= ma9rr2ie4d
Won't things be
less secure if everyone just writes down their new password so they don't
forget it?
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Yes, that is why you should
not write your password down or store it in a file on your PC or PDA. As
alternatives, try one of the methods above, write down a hint (e.g.,
Gettysburg) or write down your password and keep it on your person or in a
locked drawer, then destroy it once you have it memorized.
What
happens if I don't change my network password?
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Your
password will expire 60 days after the last time you changed it.
Once your password has expired, when you attempt to log into an office or
lab PC, you will be prompted to change your password. Until you do so,
you will not be able to access any network resources or dial in.
How
do I know when my password will expire?
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Log into
My.Gannon.edu. The
number of days remaining until your password expires is now displayed on
the top of the main page.
Can I change my
password before it expires?
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Yes, in fact, ITS encourages everyone to change their password a few days before it is set
to expire to ensure you do not encounter any interruption in access to any
system. To do so, simply click the Change Password link on the
my.gannon.edu login page and follow the instructions. Make sure to reboot
your PC after you've changed your password to reestablish all of your
network connections.
What happens if I
can't remember my new password?
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Reset your own Network Password: If you have setup your PIN, questions and answers in the
NetworkID Password Reset System
channel in the myGannon portal. You can click on the "I forgot my
password" link on the portal login screen. You will then need to enter
your correct networkID and 4 digit PIN, Click Submit, answer your two
security questions correctly and you can reset your own password to what
ever you choose.
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Simply visit the ITS Help Desk at Zurn 123, while there you can swipe your studentid card,
and can reset your password to the last 4 digits
of your social security number plus capitalized first and last initial (e.g., 6789JS),
allowing you to change it to something secure.
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Simply call the ITS Help Desk at 871-7501, while they cannot see your password (or anyone
else's for that matter), they can reset your password to the last 4 digits
of your social security number plus capitalized first and last initial (e.g., 6789JS),
allowing you to change it to something secure.
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