Student EUID Passwords May Require Resetting as of December 31, 2004

By Dr. Philip Baczewski, Associate Director of Academic Computing

On December 31, 2004, student EUID password will be expired unless you've changed it since October 18, 2004. If your password expires, you will need to reset it before you can log in to central computing systems such as my.unt.edu, EagleMail, and WebCT. Once you set a new password, it will be valid for 120 days.

To change or reset your password open the following URL in any web browser: http://ams.unt.edu/

- To change your password, log by entering your EUID and current password where it says "Please login to access your account", and then select "Change Password" from the menu on the left side of the page.

- To reset your password, select "Reset Password" from the left side of the page and follow the instructions.

Detailed instructions for changing or resetting your password can be found on the CITC helpdesk page: http://www.unt.edu/helpdesk  

Just one password . . .

Most students at UNT now must only remember one password to access all of their student computing resources. The new password policy is intended to protect those resources as well as all student's individual data resources at the University. While it may be an inconvenience, it is not an impossibility to create a strong password that is also memorable.

Some techniques for doing so include using the first letter of each word in a phrase with capitalization and punctuation, intermingling two words while including capitalization and punctuation, or intermingling letters of a word with numbers (but not birthdates or other personal information), while including capitalization or punctuation.

This new policy supports the convenience of using one password for all access while taking the best measures possible to keep that password secure. By using the new password standards, we are all doing our part to help secure the campus computing environment.

For assistance with the Account Management page, you can contact the CITC Helpdesk via e-mail (helpdesk@unt.edu) or phone (940-565-2324). For more information, please see the password FAQ below. We appreciate your help in maintaining a secure computing environment at UNT.

Password FAQ

Q. Why must I reset my password?

A. Passwords need to be reset to increase data security at UNT and protect your personal information and the computer systems you count on to do your course work here at UNT. New EUID passwords must now consist of "strong values" which are not easily guessed by people or automated computer programs. To fully implement strong passwords and password expiration, it is necessary for UNT to expire any passwords which have not been recently reset.

Q. What's a strong password?

A. A strong password is a sequence of characters which contains a variety of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and punctuation.

Q. Does this only apply to students?

A. No. All EUID passwords must meet these standards. Faculty and staff have already been required to reset their passwords.

Q. Do I have to change my password right away?

A. You do not need to reset your password until it is expired, however, it may be easier to change your password before the expiration date, rather than waiting to reset it after it expires.

Q. How can I tell if I need to change my password now?

A. If you are unsure whether or not you need to change your password now, log in to the ams.unt.edu web page with your EUID and current password. If you've changed your password since October 18, a 2005 password expiration date will be shown with your other account information. Otherwise, you may wish to change your password now to prevent it from expiring on December 31.

Q. The Account Management System won't accept the password I like. Now what do I do?

A. Your password needs to have at least two of either a capital letter, a number, or a punctuation mark. If the password you tried is not accepted, try clicking on the "strengthen" button to have the system suggest a password. Or, by substituting numbers or punctuation marks for some characters of the password you like, your password can be made a strong and memorable password.

Q. I need to reset my password and I've forgotten my secret answer. What do I do now?

A. You can call (940-565-2324) or come by (ISB 119) the CITC helpdesk and once you properly identify yourself to a helpdesk staffer, they can clear the secret question and let you set a new question/answer.

Q. Where can I find out more about UNT's password policy?

A. For more information on this new password policy, please see the following articles:

http://www.unt.edu/benchmarks/archives/2004/november04/comp.htm

http://www.unt.edu/benchmarks/archives/2004/august04/comp.htm

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