Information Technology Services

Network strong password implementation

Changing Passwords

Introduction
Creating a Secure Password
Students and Staff - Changing your Network (Novell) Network password using TRUidvault

Staff - Changing your Windows Workstation login screen

Staff - Changing Your GroupWise Password
Problems Changing Your Password

Introduction

There are several computer systems at Thompson Rivers University. Your myTRU Portal password changes passwords every 90 days. Your Network account changes less often, but it is still important to change your password to ensure that no one else is accessing your accounts.

Creating a Secure Password

It is also important to use a password that can not easily be discovered using a password cracking program should a file containing passwords fall into the wrong hands.  These programs usually encode dictionary words and compare them to encoded passwords until a match is found.  Therefore a good password is one that:

1. Cannot be found in a dictionary.
2. Is at least 8 characters in length - the longer the better. 
3. Contains at least one number: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 
4. Contains a non-alphabetic letter such as: exclamation point (!), dollar sign ($), number sign (#), or percent (%).
5. Uses a mixture of upper and lower case letters on systems that use case sensitive passwords: AbDqRa9! 
6. Is easy to remember so that you don't need to write it down.  One way to do this is to make up a sentence that is easy for you to remember and then use the first letter of each word in the sentence to make up your password.  e.g. "The quick brown fox jumped the fence" would equate to "tqbfjtf".  You could use this sentence to create a password like: "!tQbFjtf321" 

• Is ONLY used on one computer system.   If your password is discovered it only provides access to one computer system and not to all the computer systems you have access to. Do not use passwords you set on external systems on the Internet such as Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. 
• Is never shared with other people including co-workers. 
• Is never written down. Never create paper notes with passwords on them and put them near a PC or anywhere else. 

Students and Staff - Changing your Network (Novell) Network password using TRUidvault

This applies to both PC's and Mac's. You must be on campus for this to work.
You can use Remote Access (select TRU Identify Management option) to access from off campus.

You can change your Novell password using truidvault.tru.ca (which is new) to access the TRU Identify Manager.

• Click on the Login tab in the upper right hand of the screen.
• Select the "Change Password" option from the left menu. Enter old and new password information and click on Submit.

Your Novell network password is now changed.

This password is also your Wireless, Remote Access, GroupWise Messenger and Moodle password.

Staff - Changing your Windows Workstation login screen

Staff - Changing Your GroupWise Password

Your GroupWise email password is not connected to your network password, but some clients wish to have them be the same. There is a separate process to change your GroupWise password.

You can do this using the GroupWise client by selecting "Tools" and "Options..." on the menu on the top of the Client screen:

Select "Security" on the "Options" screen.

Enter your "Old password" and click on "OK".

Enter your new password in "New password:" and "Confirm new password:".

You can also change your GroupWise password in the WebAccess client (http://gwweb.tru.ca).

Once you are logged into the GroupWise WebAccess client Select the "Options" button .

Then enter your old password in the "Type your old password:" box and enter your new password in the "Type your new password:" and "Confirm:" boxes.

Problems Changing Your Password

If you have problems changing your password you can contact the IT Service Desk. at 250-852-6800.