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Use Strong Passwords to Protect Your Computer and Your Information
A weak password can be the vulnerability that results in your computer being compromised or your personal information being stolen.Tips for creating a strong password
- Choose characters from each of the following groups:
- upper case letters (A-Z)
- lower case letters (a-z)
- numbers and symbols (0-9,$,#,!-,_,@...)
- Do not use a name or dictionary word in any language. Do not use a repetitive series like "abc123".
- Create a password that cannot be guessed from personal information: name, address, SSN, UDelNet ID, phone number, birth date, etc.
- Do not re-use a password from another account.
- Do not display your password on notes attached to your computer, or store it on your computer's hard drive in obvious places (a "Passwords file").
- Sample strong password: You could select a phrase or sentence as the basis of your passowrd: "To be or not to be- William Shakespeare" could become:
2B-ntBw$ (Note: Do NOT use this example as your password!)- Do NOT re-use your UDelNet password as a password for any other web account.
- Do NOT allow your browser or e-mail program to "remember" your username/password. If you do, anyone can use your computer to access your information.
- Do NOT store your password on your computer. Commit it to memory or store it in a secured spot.
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