Password Protection

The use of password-protected accounts to access network resources provides a minimum level of protection against unauthorized access. Never choose passwords that are easy to guess.

Using phrases, non-alphanumeric characters, and non-dictionary words will make breaking a password that much harder for intruders. You can strengthen your password by increasing its length or the diversity characters in it.

Guidelines for Good Password Protection

• Passwords should be unique and at least 8 characters long. The longer the password, the more secure it is.
• Test the strength of your password with Microsoft Password Checker.
• Passwords should be kept secret and should not be written down where they might be visible to other users. Sticky notes on monitors or under keyboards dramatically increase the likelihood of your password being misused.
• Users should not know the passwords of other users.
• Users must inform the ESO Network Administrator if it becomes known that a password is no longer confidential.
• Passwords should contain characters from at least three of the following four categories:
  • English uppercase letters (A, B, C, …, Z)
  • English lowercase letters (a, b, c, …, z)
  • Arabic numerals (0, 1, 2, …, 9)
  • Non-alphanumeric characters such as punctuation or symbols (!@#$%^&*()_+;)
• Passwords must not contain the user’s e-mail name, parts of the user’s full name, or other familiar names of family, friends, acquaintances, pets, and so on.
• Passwords should not be a “common” word or words found in a dictionary or encyclopedia.
• Passwords should be easy to remember yet complex. For example, Ilve2:)@TSSet (a representation of “I love to smile at the sunset”).
• Passwords must have a regular expiration period, beyond which they are no longer valid.