Tips for Creating and Protecting Your Password
A good password is easy for you to remember, but hard for others to guess. Plan to spend some time thinking about your new password.
As of 5 May 2004, any new password created must:
- Be at least eight characters long.
- Cannot contain any word found in a dictionary.
- Contain three out of these four elements –– uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and punctuation/special characters.
Not all punctuation/special characters are allowable. Use the keyboard layouts provided below to find ones you may use:
Useful Strategies and Tips:
- The longer the password, the better.
- One way to make a password is to invent a phrase and use the first letter of each word to make an acronym, and then replace some letters with numbers or punctuation.
- Another way to make a password is to use 2 or 3 words or a short phrase but replace the vowels or specific letters with numbers or punctuation.
What not to do:
- Do not use your mother's maiden name, your GatorLink username, or anything obviously related to you–in any form (initials, reversed, doubled).
- Do not make minor changes to your current password.
- Do not use a given password example seen elsewhere.
Protect your password:
- Memorize your password.
- If you must write down your new password:
- Never write your username and your password on the same piece of paper.
- Do not post your password, even in a private office. Do not hide a password under your keyboard. Secure it the way you would secure a credit card.
- Do not tell anyone your password. System managers can normally do what they need to do without your password.
- Do not allow anyone to look over your shoulder while you are entering your password.
- If your computer offers to "remember" your password, just
say NO. Turn off this "AutoComplete'" feature in your browser.
(In IE: Tools >Internet Options >Content tab >AutoComplete button – uncheck "usernames and passwords on forms;" clear passwords.) - Do not use your GatorLink password as the password for your other accounts such as eBay and Yahoo. In each case, create a unique password.
- Change your password immediately if it has been compromised.
