There are many ways to generate strong passwords, but here are a few basic pointers. Many of these are required when creating a password for your CUNE account.


Unique

Passwords should be unique. You should not re-use passwords between accounts in general. If you re-use a password between multiple accounts, if one account is compromised, then all accounts using that password are also compromised.


Confidential

Only you should know your password. Don't share it with other people. We at IT Services don't need to know your password, and don't want to know it. If you get an email asking you to provide your password, it's almost certainly a phishing email.

If your account is ever compromised, be through a password shared or something outside your control, we will disable your account and you'll have to come to IT Services, with your ID card, to re-enable your account and reset your password. 


Just be smart about your password: Keep it secret. Keep it safe.


Complexity & Length

In addition, passwords using multiple character types are stronger than ones that use just one.


Here are the requirements for CUNE passwords:

  • Passwords must be at least 14 characters long
  • CUNE Passwords must contain at least 3 of the following character types:
    • UPPERCASE
    • lowercase
    • Number 0,1,2,...
    • Special character !,@,#,...
  • Don't use your name, Concordia, CUNE, Bulldogs, or other obvious CUNE references.
  • Don't use emoji.


Creating a password

It can be tricky to think of a good password. One method you might use is to think of a memorable phrase and use the first characters of each word. Or you could mash together a couple words, with some intentional misspellings and special characters thrown in. You want to avoid just using dictionary words, as passwords made up of just words found in a dictionary can be more easily guessed by certain password guessing attacks.


Password Managers

It's also a very good idea to use a password manager. A password manager such as 1Password or Bitwarden can store all your passwords in a safe, encrypted environment. With a password manager, you can create strong passwords, enter them into password vaults, and not need to worry about remembering them all, since you can access them securely through the manager.


Note: A password vault is ONLY accessible with your master password, so make sure it's a strong one, and don't forget it!