Student Passwords

Why do we need passwords?

We need passwords to keep ourselves and our information safe when we use computers and the internet. They make it more difficult for other people to get access to our data. They help to prove to a computer that we are who we claim to be and help to protect your private information.

Why you shouldn't share your password with anyone else

Sharing a password defeats the object of having one in the first place, even with friends and family. Your account is your responsibility and giving your password to someone else takes the responsibility for its safety and security out of your hands. Remember, mistakes can happen, even if we don't expect them to - for example, a friend could be browsing your computer's files area and delete all of your work by mistake. Your College password provides you with access to a variety of systems, including VITAL which includes your address, telephone number, national insurance number, grades, disability support information and other things that you might not want other people to be able to see. If you think someone else has learned your password, you should change it straight away and tell your tutor. Don't be fooled - nobody from technical support will ask you for your password - never give it if you are asked for it.

What makes a good password?

Passwords are only good as long as they are secure. This means a number of things:

• Not using the same password for all of your accounts
• Not having a password that is easy to guess - this would be things like:
  • Your pet's name
  • The name of your favourite celebrity/comic book character/scientist
  • Your date of birth
  • Common passwords or combinations of characters, like "password" or "qwerty" or "123456789"
• Not having a password too similar to passwords you've used in the past
• Don't write your passwords down

A lot of companies will force you to have a password that falls in line with their password policy. This could mean that your password would have to have a certain number of characters, a mix of uppercase and lowercase characters, and some numbers and symbols.

What is the College's Password Policy?

The College's password policy requires you to have a password with at least one uppercase letter and a number in addition to the other characters in your password. On top of this, your password will need to be at least 10 characters in length.  Your password expires after 365 days, and resets in September.

The College's IT Acceptable Use Policy

When you first started with the College and accessed Moodle for the first time, either as a guest or as a logged in user, you would have been required to agree to the IT acceptable use policy.