Tag Archives: password

Remember to change your password!

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Passwords are like toothbrushes – change them often and never share them with anyone.

It’s important to change your password regularly; it’s easy to do, just follow these simple steps:

On Campus:
Logged on to a BU networked PC, press the ‘Ctrl+Alt+Delete’ keys and select ‘Change a Password.’

Off Campus:
Reset your password before it expires by going to the Student Portal and selecting ‘Log-in services’. Click on ‘Change your password’ (found in the menu on the left). You will be required to enter your Username and Password.

Your password must:

  • Be different to your last 5 passwords
  • Contain a minimum of 8 characters
  • Include 3 of the following: uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, symbols.

You cannot change your password for at least 2 days after it has been reset.

Note: The IT Department at Bournemouth University will never ask you to reset your password by clicking on a link sent in an email nor ask for your username and password details by email.

If you have any queries or issues please contact the IT Service Desk on 01202 965515 or visit the IT Services website.

Heartbleed Vulnerability

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heartbleedThis week the media have reported on a major IT security flaw at the heart of the Internet, which may have been exposing users’ personal information and passwords to hackers, known as the Heartbleed bug.

In reaction to this, and to ensure our systems are secure, BU’s IT Services has performed a vulnerability assessment, and where necessary has upgraded certain systems.

If you are concerned about your personal accounts or whether a particular service has been affected, more information can be found here. Alternatively, you can contact your IT service desk for advice.

Our advice is, and always will be, to change your passwords regularly, do not use the same password on multiple services and adopt strong but easy to remember passwords. Please refer to the BU password policy for guidance.

A tip for creating a strong but easy to remember password – choose four random (unrelated) words that you can visualise, combined with one or more of following: (¬`!”£$%^&*()-_=+{}[]:;@’~#<,>.?/|\).