Change passwords before classes begin

Change passwords before classes begin

BY CARLYN CHATFIELD
Special to the Rice News

Regularly changed passwords are an important first line of defense in any organization’s fight to keep digital assets secure.

That’s why Rice’s IT Security Office asks all faculty, staff and students to change every password used to access university systems at the start of each semester.

Recently, old, unchanged passwords directly contributed to several computer workstation break-ins. These passwords had either not been changed in the past year, or in some cases, never changed at all.

PHOTOS.COM

How can an unchanged password lead to a security breach?

Once an attacker finds an easy mark, the hacker collects passwords used or cached on the compromised system. They then use these newly acquired passwords and attack still more computers with an ever-increasing list of passwords.

Rice has never forced password changes, so a compromised or stolen password file or list can be valid for years, giving hackers more and more chances for a successful attack. Changing passwords regularly helps stop such risk.

Security break-ins significantly impact the entire community’s productivity by drawing upon the network, servers, systems and IT staff resources and time. This, in turn, takes resources away from day-to-day IT customer support. 

More information, including instructions for changing your passwords, can be found online: