All IN: Protecting Data One Password at a Time!
Greetings Eagle Nation,
We have some important news to share with you: we are updating our minimum requirements to make passwords even more secure!
- Beginning July 1, 2023, your password minimum requirement must be at least 12 characters and include a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
- The maximum password age will also increase from 120 days to 180 days. This means you won't have to change your password quite as often.
These changes are in line with the University System of Maryland’s IT Security Standards Version 5.0, which are designed to protect your information and campus IT systems. We take your privacy and security seriously and want to make sure you're protected.
If you have any questions or concerns about the updated password policy or the IT Security Standards Version 5.0, our IT Security Team is here to help. Just reach out to them for assistance. Our top priority is protecting your data! Let’s keep our community safe, together.
Selecting a Password
When selecting your password, it's good to chose a password that is difficult for others to guess, but easy for you to remember. Use these tips to create your strong password.
Use a Phrase for Your Password
Choose a passphrase rather than a password. A passphrase is a sequence of words that is easy to remember but hard to guess. For example, you can use a line from your favorite poem, song, or movie and add some numbers or symbols to it.
Dictionary Method
Picking two or more unrelated words from the dictionary and combine them with numbers and symbols.
Personal Abbreviations
Abbreviate a phrase that is meaningful to you. You can use the first letter of each word or syllable, capitalize the stressed ones, and keep the punctuation.
Password Tips
Tip 1: To strengthen your password, replace letters in words with visually or phonetically similar symbols and numbers. For example:
- Zero for the letter 'O'
- 1 for the letter 'L'
- 2 for the word "to" or "too"
- 4 for the word "for"
- 8 for the letter 'B' or "gradu8" (graduate)
- $ for the letter 'S'
- # for the letter 'H'
Tip 2: Add in emoticons for passwords that are fun and easy to remember. For example:
- :-)
- :D
- XD
Frequently Asked Questions
The new minimum 12-count password requirements go into effect July 1, 2023.
You can find the date that your current password will expire at https://eaglepass.coppin.edu. Enter your UserName, then verify your identity by answering your secret questions. The date your password expires will be listed in the "Reset password Before" column.
| Password Rules |
|---|
| Cannot Be Shorter Than 12 Characters. |
| Cannot Be Larger Than 32 Characters. |
| Requires a minimum of 2 letters. |
| Should have a minimum of 1 upper case characters. |
| Should have a minimum of 1 lower case characters. |
| Requires mixed case. |
| Cannot use First Name. |
| Cannot use Last Name. |
| Cannot use Identity User ID. |
| Requires a minimum of 1 numbers or special characters. |