How do I create a secure password?

1. Choose a password that is easy for you to remember but would be hard for others to guess. Password security, however, does not end with picking a strong password. In order to ensure full password security, you must also take steps to protect your password.

2. Do not share your password. You are responsible for all activities conducted on your account. Be aware of phishing attempts and never send your user name and password over email to anyone.

3. Do not write your password down. Written passwords are easily stolen.

4. Change your password regularly at https://password.eiu.edu. The longer you are using your password, the more likely it is that someone will be able to figure it out.

5. Do not store your password in a program. When your e-mail client or Web browser stores your passwords, it is very easy for malware or an unauthorized person to retrieve them without your knowledge.

Strong password rules at Eastern:

• Not be a previous password
• Start with a letter
• A minimum of 14 characters
• Have both upper and lower case characters
• Have at least 1 number
• Have at least 1 non-alphanumeric character, The only allowable non-alphanumeric characters are :
• Minus sign -
• Underscore _
• Colon :
• Asterisk *
• Exclamation point !
• Dollar sign $
• Period .
• Comma ,