Passphrase Resources

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• Passphrase Creation
• Passphrase Reset
  
• Passphrase Security

Passphrase Creation

ECU policy requires all PirateID passphrases to be 8 or more characters and contain letters, numbers and symbols from at least 3 of the following 4 categories:

• Upper case letter
• Lower case letter
• Numbers
• Special character (e.g., !, @, #, *, ?)

Users are required to change their PirateID passphrase immediately after logging in to the ECU network for the first time and every 90 days thereafter.

Why Should I Select a Strong Passphrase?

Anyone who knows your passphrase can log in to the ECU network and commit unauthorized or illegal actions on-line as if he/she were you. For example, an unauthorized user could:

• Send threatening or pornographic e-mail from your e-mail account
• Steal data from your computer
• Install a program to capture other users’ passphrases to gain access to those computers
• Use your computer to send viruses or Trojan horses from within the ECU network
• Send spam all over the world resulting in other Internet providers blocking e-mail from ECU
  

Since we all share the campus network, we must all share the responsibility of protecting it.

How Do I Create a Strong Passphrase?

One way to create a strong passphrase is to make up a sentence that has meaning only to you. Take the first letter of each word and make at least one letter upper case, at least one letter lower case, and at least one character should be a number and/or special character. Below are two examples—but don’t use either of these—it’s easy to create your own!

• Is Econ 220 being offered this semester? (IE2bots?)
• Only three more weeks until vacation time! (O3mwuVt!)

Want to know if your passphrase is strong enough? Test it at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-itcs/itsecurity/PassPhrase-Test.cfm

Are There Guidelines on What NOT to Do?

Yes! Hacker computer programs can guess your passphrase within minutes by trying every word in the dictionary. These programs check for passwords that are names, words with numbers, common misspellings and other commonly used passwords. Users should be mindful of the following:

• DO NOT use personal information such as your name, user ID, the name of a spouse, child, friend or pet
• DO NOT use information easily obtained such as license plate numbers, telephone numbers, social security numbers, the name of the street you live on, etc.
• DO NOT create a passphrase made of only numbers or a repeated letter
• DO NOT use any word contained in a dictionary, spelling list or other word list in any language
• DO NOT use simple transformations of a word such as reversing the spelling, changing upper case to lower case or using all caps
• DO NOT write down your passphrase and post it in an easily-guessable location such as your computer monitor or desk drawer
  
• DO NOT select a passphrase that is common to everyone (Go@Pirates!)
• DO NOT change your passphrase and then go on vacation; use it immediately several times after you change it
  
• DO NOT share your Passphrase with anyone—EVER

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Passphrase Reset

If your PirateID passphrase expires, your account is locked or you suspect someone knows your PirateID passphrase, reset your passphrase using one of the three options below.

Option 1. Register at pirateid.ecu.edu

Once registered with the passphrase maintenance self-service system, you can reset your own passphrase by correctly answering security questions.

This works for the regular 90-day passphrase change or if you get locked out.
Click the PID icon on the ECU home page to quickly access the passphrase maintenance page.

Or go to the passphrase maintenance site at http://pirateid.ecu.edu.

Option 2. Visit a Designated Passphrase Reset Location

Present a completed Passphrase Reset Authorization Form and a valid photo ID (ECU 1 Card, driver's license or government-issued ID) to any one of these locations. For after hours requests, see below.*

Walk-in IT Help Desk
Austin Building, Room 103
Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (summer hours M-F 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

Austin Computer Lab
Austin Building, Room 104
Open Daily 6:00 a.m. - 12:00 midnight

ACE Computer Support Center
Health Sciences Building, Room 3330
Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Option 3. Call the IT Help Desk

A faxed or e-mailed copy of a valid photo ID (ECU 1 Card, driver’s license, or government issue ID) is required.*

Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Phone 252.328.9866 or toll-free 1.800.340.7081

*Please note: Passphrase-reset requests submitted before 12 noon are completed by 5:00 p.m. the same day. Requests submitted after 12 noon are completed by 12 noon the following business day. ITCS staff will make every effort to reset a passphrase as soon as possible.

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Passphrase Security

How Do I Protect My Passphrase?

• NEVER give your passphrase to anyone. Not even your supervisor can ask you to disclose your passphrase
• Do not reply to e-mails requesting your personal information. These e-mails are fraudulent.
• If you think someone may have obtained your passphrase, change it immediately using the passphrase maintenance site http://pirateid.ecu.edu/ and notify the IT Help Desk at 328-9866
  
• Don't reveal personal information on the phone. Identity thieves are known to ask seemingly innocuous questions that reveal confidential information
• If an ITCS service technician needs your passphrase, you will be asked to type it in yourself. Ask for identification if you are not sure about the person. Change the passphrase after the technician leaves
• Never use the "remember this password" feature in your browser when logging in to programs or other ECU systems, such as OneStop. Others can then log in to the application on your computer using your credentials. Hackers can also find the password file and use it to log on to the ECU network
• Don't use Password Manager programs that offer to store your password for you
• Lock your computer whenever you leave it
• Turn your office computer off before you go home

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