Did you know that your AccessIT ID password is an integral aspect of Fordham IT’s online security program? Your password adheres to certain rules that make it complex enough to thwart the potential theft of sensitive information accessed through your Fordham account.
Passwords are often stolen when individuals accidentally respond to fraudulent requests for personal information. This is called a phishing attack and is the most common way for credentials like passwords and credit card information to be stolen. Sophisticated hacking techniques can steal many passwords at one time from large institutions. A password is not just an institution’s first line of defense against a cyber attack. It may also be the weakest link.
A victim of password theft might not discover that their password was stolen because it may not be used immediately. When a stolen password is used, however, it can wreak havoc on the lives of those affected and damage an institution’s reputation. That’s why changing passwords every now and then helps to limit the amount of time a stolen password remains useful.
To help keep personal information and other sensitive data as secure as possible, Fordham IT has implemented the Password Expiration Initiative. All AccessIT ID passwords are set to expire in Spring 2014 unless they are changed by individual users beforehand. Changing your password takes less than two minutes. Once you change your password, it will be set to expire again, in 180 days. (Be advised that the first time you attempt to access your Gmail from a mobile device after changing your password, you will be prompted to enter your new AccessIT ID password.)
Everyone is responsible for protecting Fordham’s systems. The Password Expiration Initiative is an important way for individuals to do their part and help Fordham IT fulfill its commitment to ensuring the online security of the entire campus community.
Please remember that Fordham IT will NEVER request passwords or other personal information via email. Messages requesting such information are fraudulent and should be reported to IT and then deleted. Fordham IT is committed to maintaining the integrity of the university’s online resources.
We can tell you more about the Password Expiration Initiative!
Visit our website http://www.fordham.edu/PWExpire to learn about
- Town Hall dates and locations
- Instructions for changing your password
- Password complexity rules
Follow us on Twitter: @FordhamSecureIT
