How do I change my passphrase/password?

To change your passphrase/password:

1. SSH into ssh.math.ias.edu using your assigned IAS user credentials (e.g. ssh username@ssh.math.ias.edu). This can be done using the PuTTY application in Windows or the Terminal application in Mac OS X or your favorite Linux distribution.
2. Type passwd.
3. Enter your current passphrase/password.
4. Enter your new passphrase/password twice.  Your new password must be 15 or more characters in length. 

Assuming you successfully typed in your new passphrase/password twice, you should receive a message saying that all authentication tokens updated successfully.

If you have a Windows user account, please email the School of Math Help Desk at help@math.ias.edu for further assistance.

Requirements for passphrases/passwords at IAS are as follows:

1. Passwords must be at least 15 characters long.
2. Before a new password is approved/accepted by our authentication systems, the password is checked to make sure it doesn't contain any identifiers such as your name or account username, and the password hash is checked against an online database of known compromised passwords.
3. There are no complexity requirements.

Advice on Choosing a Passphrase/Password

Secure and complex passwords are can be a burden for many. With required minimum character lengths and a mix of character types (e.g. upper, lower, number, special characters), the traditionally formed passwords can be too difficult to remember and users bypass the security of them by writing them down in a "safe" place. Fortunately the passphrase is here to save the day!

A passphrase meets the requirements on length and complexity, but are often easier to remember. For some ideas on coming up with a passphrase, consider the following examples:

DO NOT USE ANY of the Passphrases used as examples in this article for YOUR IAS ACTUAL PASSWORD!

• Eh, Bee, Sea, One, too, 3!
• Mary had a little furry creature 2 play with
• Go home Get out of Jail buy Park Place
• Apple Orange black white up / Down \

Tasks to complete after changing your passphrase/password:

Once you have created your new 15 or more character passphrase, be sure to update the following applications with it:

Update IMAP Clients (e.g. Thunderbird, Outlook)

Delete OpenVPN profile, reinstall Scroll to the bottom and follow instructions for Profile removal, followed by the Installation Guide https://www.ias.edu/openvpn-installation-guide

Delete Eduroam profile, reinstall https://commons.lbl.gov/display/itfaq/Remove+eduroam+Certificate#OperatingSystems--1280820637 https://www.ias.edu/wireless-user-guide