Account Security

Step-by-step instructions can be found on the "How to Change Your Password" page on InfoBase. If you are unable to change your password using the links above, please contact the IT HelpDesk at helpdesk@abtech.edu.

Password Requirements

Any password that you use at A-B Tech…

1. Should be as long as possible

   Use a password (or passphrase) that is as long as you are comfortable remembering and typing. A password's length is its most important characteristic.

2. May consist of any supported character that you can type (lower- and uppercase letters, numbers, and punctuation/special characters)

   A long, simple password may be stronger than a short, complex password. You are encouraged to use more than just lowercase letters in your passwords, but if you want a stronger password, add length before you add complexity.

3. Should be difficult to guess

   Your password should not contain details about yourself, details about your family/friends/pets, anything shared on social media, or any other information that someone may know about you. Attackers will use data like this when trying to guess your password.

4. Should not be used if it is found in a data breach

   Attackers have access to millions of passwords of actual users, gathered together from thousands of data breaches, and they may compromise your account if your password is in their collection. You can use Have I Been Pwned's Pwned Passwords web page to see if a password that you are considering has been found in a data breach.

5. Must not be used with non-A-B Tech accounts

   Reusing passwords may put your account at risk, because an attacker who has compromised one of your non-A-B Tech accounts may be able to easily compromise your A-B Tech account. A-B Tech cannot prevent data breaches at third-party services and sites.

6. Must be changed if it may be compromised

   If you have any suspicion that your password is known to someone else, you are expected to change it immediately. If College tech support suspects that your password is compromised, we will expire your password and assist you with a reset.

7. Should be kept safe

   Because your password is the main way that we regularly identify you, it is important that you and you alone know your password. A-B Tech staff will never ask you for your password, and you should never provide it. You should never log in as someone else or allow someone to log in as you. You should never write down your password or store it in an insecure way.

Recommendations

1. Pick (and personalize) a password creation technique. Coming up with a new password can be difficult, and sometimes it's easiest to just add a "1" or a "!" to your old password. If your old password is stolen and it does not work for the thief, then they will try it again with common password changes like this. Your new password should be significantly different from those that you have used before. It is best to come up with a good way to make new passwords. For example:
   1. Make a password out of the first letters of the words from a sentence: "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter" becomes "hmasbtuas", then tweak it in your own way (e.g. "/-!hmasbtuas/-!")
   2. Memorize a gibberish phrase (e.g. "frabigzip") and stick it in between some easy-to-remember words (e.g. "model frabigzip windshield"). Again, make it your own: "ModeL-frabigzip-WindshielD"
2. Look into using a password manager – such as Bitwarden, Dashlane, Keeper, or 1Password – to reduce the number of passwords that you need to commit to memory.
3. Use "Have I Been Pwned?" to see if one of your accounts has been exposed in a data breach.