Passwords

How to Create a Strong Password

To help keep your computer and your information more secure, it’s important to use a strong password.   While this is a good practice for all of your computer accounts, it is especially important for your login to the network and to your PC.  

A strong password: 

• is at least eight characters long.  
• contains characters from each of the following three groups: 
  • Letters (uppercase and lowercase)
  • Numerals (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
  • Symbols (i.e., all characters not defined as letters or numerals:  ` ~ ! $ % ^ ( ) _  - = { } |, et al.)
    Note: Please avoid using any of the following special characters in your password as these symbols can cause difficulty when you log into Colleague or WebAccess. 
    • • " double quotes
      • < less than
      • @ at sign
      • & ampersand
      • + plus    
• has at least one symbol character in the second through sixth positions.  
• is significantly different from prior passwords.  
• does not contain your name or user name.  
• is not a common word or name.