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Password Security

Your passwords are the keys to your electronic identity. They verify your identity and give you certain privileges. Should someone else guess or steal your password, he or she can pretend to be you, which means the intruder would then have access to your files, your e-mail, your funds, your personal information, and more. In short, an insecure password can easily wreak havoc in your life.

A strong password

It may seem difficult to come up with a secure password that you can actually remember. Here are some memory strategies:

• Think of a sentence, take the first letter of each word, and use punctuation marks to substitute for one or more of the letters.

• The lazy dog jumped over the fox might become Tldj^tf

• Compose your password by remembering a song that you misunderstood the lyrics to.

• For example, you might have misheard Jimmy Hendrix sing "Excuse ME while I kiss this Guy" and make your password eM!w1ktg.

Some tips for creating a strong password:

• Choose a password that is at least six characters long. If you ever intend to use a Macintosh on campus, limit your password to eight characters.
• Include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and non-alpha-numeric marks ($,@,~,#,&,etc).

Avoiding the obvious:

• Avoid your birthdate, your username, your Simmons ID number, your telephone number or anything else that is all numbers.
• Avoid any proper names or word that is in the dictionary. Password crackers have gotten more sophisticated, so it is no longer safe to use a word and substitute zeros for o's or ones for l's.
• Avoid any password used as an example in this document or any other you read about creating a good password.

Beware of disclosing your password

Hackers often employ what's called "social engineering." For example, somebody claiming to be an employee of your bank or internet service provider can call asking for personal information in order to gain access to your account. Or the victims can be users who receive "phishing" e-mails imploring them to verify their account information by clicking on a link to a phony Web site done up to appear like that of a trusted institution.

Prevent unauthorized access to your data

The information on your computer is like your pocketbook or your wallet:  don't leave it unattended and, most importantly, log off before you leave.  For instructions on setting a password and screensaver for your computer, see: Secure your Windows / Macintosh computer.

Access to your computer includes access to all your online accounts and the data stored on it. Would you leave a blank check lying around? Log off before you walk away from your computer. Keep your electronic identity secure.