Your password is yours alone
October 05, 2009 - by KeesPosted under: Information Security
Your password is the one thing that protects your personal information. Adelphi's acceptable use policy requires that you keep your password secret and that you don't share it with anyone. We see too many cases where passwords are abused to do all kinds of nasty things. We see examples returning every year where passwords were shared between roommates or while in a relationship, but are abused when things go bad.
Even when you do not disclose your password, attackers will try to figure out what it is, simply by guessing in a semi-intelligent way. Adelphi's system administrators deflect many of such attacks every day. To help prevent this kind of abuse, we require you to reset your account if you use an incorrect password too many times in a row.
Stolen passwords are used to steal online identities that can be used to incur expenses, send out malicious email, or do other illegal things. With your password, someone may access your Facebook, Twitter, or IM accounts.
Anything that you do while using equipment that is owned by the University, or that is connected to our network, can be traced back to a computer. Very often, we can also identify whose account was used on that computer and we will hold that user accountable for everything that happened.
When you follow a few simple rules, your online life will be a lot more secure:
- Pick strong passwords. Use some strange characters in it, such as ;, #, &, etc. Preferably, use these characters somewhere in the middle of your password.
- Pick a password that is a combination of upper-case and lower-case characters
- Use different passwords for different purposes. Don't use your Adelphi password for your Facebook account. Pick yet a different password for your banking.
- Keep your passwords to yourself.
- Nobody at AU will ever ask for your password, your date of birth, your SSN, or any other personal information. Never disclose that kind of stuff, no matter how legitimate the request may seem.
- If you suspect abuse of your password, call the IT HelpDesk at x3340
Christine Reslmaier has been working as the Web content editor for the Adelphi site since July 2007. She received a B.A. in psychology from Binghamton University quite a while ago and is now enrolled in the Community Health master's program at AU's School of Ed.
