Password Information Page

Password Best Practices

Using a Secure Password is a Best Practice

As a general rule of Internet conduct, users are expected to be aware of the security policies of computers and networks which they access and to adhere to these policies. Unauthorized access to a computer or use of a network is explicitly a violation of Internet rules of conduct and the Carolina Connections Acceptable Use Policy, no matter how weak the protection of those computers or networks (see RFC 1281: Guidelines for the Secure Operation of the Internet).

According to RFC 1281, individual users have a responsibility to use security mechanisms and procedures available to them on their network to protect their data. Users are responsible for assisting in the protection of the systems they use. For systems which rely upon password protection, users should select good passwords and periodically change them. Password guessing and dictionary attacks are common ways of forcing unauthorized entry to networks, and even the best passwords can eventually be defeated mathmatically, given enough time. The use of strong passwords acts as a firm deterrant against password guessing attacks, and buys additional time against dictionary attacks.

These guidelines cover the selection of good passwords and best practices in handling them.