ResNet

Computer security includes the use of secure passwords for your network, e-mail and other confidential access points.

Passwords must never be written down or recorded. Users should never share or divulge their password to anyone. Each user is accountable and responsible for any action taken with their username and password. No Cornell employee or administrator should ever ask a user for their password, and even if they do, the user should not reveal it to anyone, no matter how plausible the reason. Any password that is known or suspected to be compromised must be changed immediately.

Password Selections

Strong passwords are required for employees and students and must:

• Contain at least 7 characters
• Contain at least 3 of the following character types:
  • upper alpha (ABC)
  • lower alpha (abc)
  • numeric (123)
  • special character (/ [ - = + ! # $ etc)
• Not contain a keyboard pattern such as "qwerty"
• Not contain a repeating character sequence such as "aaa"
• Not be similar to your current password
• Not be similar to your logon name
• Not be similar to your name
• Not be similar to any of your recently used passwords
• Not be a common word or name

Password Expiration

Currently Cornell does not force users to change their network or email passwords. Cornell does however, strongly encourage users to periodically change their passwords and incorporate the required “strong password” methodology when constructing passwords.

Passwords issued for temporary IDs, password resets, and locked out IDs are all reset to expire immediately. The recipients of temporary passwords will then be forced to change their passwords at their first login opportunity.

A suggestion is to create a strong password phrase and then develop your password from it. That may be easier than trying to remember a random combination of characters. For example, “One of the Nation’s Best, One-Course-At-A-Time” might yield the following password: oNB1c@T. This password meets the strong password criteria of 7 characters, upper and lower case, numerical, and symbols. And as you can see, “One of the Nation’s Best, One-Course-At-A-Time” is a lot easier to remember than oNB1c@T.

Protect Your Workstation Using a Screen Saver Password

To help protect your workstation, files, and access to college information resources, you should use a screen saver password.

To protect your files by using a screen saver password

1. Open Display in Control Panel.
2. On the Screen Saver tab under Screen saver, click a screen saver.
3. Select the On resume, password protect check box.

If Fast User Switching is turned on, select the On resume, display Welcome screen check box.

• Selecting the On Resume, password protect check box will lock your computer when the screen saver is activated. When you begin working again you will be prompted to type your password to unlock it.
• Your screen saver password is the same as your logon password. If you do not use a password to log on, you cannot set a screen saver password.
• Fast User Switching is only available for stand-alone computers and users in a workgroup. It is not available if your computer is part of a network domain.

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