Common Topics
- Forgetting your password
- Forgetting your PIN
- PIN vs. Password
- Selecting a very strong password
- Password expiration
- Stolen passwords
- Sharing and protecting your data
- Password Rules
- When to type auburn\ before your User Name
- Login to AU Access
Forgetting your password
Employees
Employees should contact the OIT Helpdesk to reset forgotten AU computing passwords. However, if you have established your security questions in MyAccount you can reset your own password there.
OIT HelpDesk
1st Floor - RBD Library (location)
(334) 844-4944
Students
Student must visit the OIT HelpDesk in person and show a photo ID to reset forgotten AU computing passwords. However, if you have established your security questions in MyAccount you can reset your own password there.
OIT HelpDesk
1st Floor - RBD Library (location)
Forgetting your PIN
To have your Hold PIN reset please see your academic advisor.
For my assistance, employees should contact their Administrative Computing Coordinator to reset forgotten PINs (Personal Identification Numbers) and mainframe passwords. Students can also visit their academic advisor to reset forgotten PINs.
PIN vs. Password
These are two different items and are used for different resources.
PIN (Hold PIN, Alternate PIN)
Your PIN, or Personal Identification Number, was assigned to you when you joined Auburn University. It is only used by faculty and student advisors.
Resources where your PIN is needed:
- Removing Holds in tiger i
Password
It is alphanumeric (letters and numbers) and is used for many different computing resources throughout campus.
Resources where your password is needed:
- AU Access
- AU Dial
- AU Install from off-campus
- AU Office / Novell
- OIT Computing Labs
- OIT Sun Network
- Restricted access sites on the OIT Windows web server (https://fp.auburn.edu)
- TigerMail / GroupWise
- TSM
- Windows Domain
Selecting a very strong password
Instead of a password start thinking in terms of a pass-phrase.
- Since there is a minimum of 8 characters for passwords it's easier to think of a phrase that you can remember:
- Take advantage of the three allowed special characters ( _ $ # ) and the length of 30 characters. In general, the longer the password the more secure.
- It's best to avoid words found in the dictionary but sometimes combining short words for a pass-phrase is okay.
Example: Great fun for all
Resulting pass-phrase: Gr8_Fun_4_All - Use numbers as part of words but don’t substitute digits for characters such as using zero in place of the letter O or the digit one instead of the letter L or I.
Good password: do_u_h8_NickS8n (just kidding)
Bad password: n0tg00dpassw0rd - Avoid using any words associated with Auburn University such as WarEagle or Tigers. Instead you drop the vowels, add an adjective, etc.
Example: Tigers are number one forever
Resulting pass-phrase: TgrsR#1_4ever - Don't use other easily obtained information about yourself, for example:
- your User Name,
- your name,
- name of a relative or friend,
- license plate numbers,
- phone numbers,
- social security numbers,
- the make of your automobile,
- the name of the street you live on,
- the room number or building in which you work, etc.
While using this information may create a password easy to remember, people that know you may easily figure it out.
- Make sure your password follows these requirements.
Example: I donate money to the 4-H
Resulting pass-phrase: Id$2the4H
Password expiration
While we recommend that you change your password every 5-6 weeks, AU Computing passwords do not automatically expire or request renewal.
Stolen passwords
Often the account owner is the first person to detect unauthorized use of their account. If this occurs, please notify the OIT HelpDesk immediately.
Circumstances indicating unauthorized use of your account:
- Strange files appear and disappear in your directories.
- Incoming e-mail messages refer to a message you did not send.
- Last login date and location on OIT Sun Network is wrong or different than your normal activities.
Sharing and protecting your data
If you need to share data and directories in your account with other users, do not share your account password. Instead, assign file permissions or group access to make this information available to other users.
Password Rules
The rules for changing your password are as follows:
- Begin with a letter
- Minimum 8 characters, Maximum 30 characters
- Minimum "average" strength
- Average = Using a number and UPPERCASE & lowercase letters
Common Topic: Selecting a very strong password
When to type auburn\ before your User Name
To log in to resources on Auburn Windows Domain computers, type the prefix auburn\ before the User Name, unless the computer is already joined to the auburn.edu domain. If you are not sure, use the prefix.
These employee systems require no prefix: AU Dial, AU Access, Banner, GroupWise, OIT Sun Network, Novell/AU Office, the Password Page, and Blackboard.
Employee systems that use a different password: TSM and MRE.
How-to: Synchronizing your AU Computing passwords
How-to: Verifying your User Name and OIT password
Login to AU Access
AU Access requires your User Name and password. AU Access uses a "single-signon" session meaning once you log in you can click Blackboard, TigerMail, etc. links without having to log in again.
- Your User Name is the portion of an AU e-mail address before @auburn.edu.
- Your password is usually the same password that you use to login to TigerMail/GroupWise, but if you are not able to login to AU Access you may need to synchronize your AU passwords, wait 5 minutes, and try again.
- If you've forgotten your password, you need to contact the OIT HelpDesk at (334) 844-4944.
Employees, if you know your User Name and password, but are still not able to log in, you need to contact your Administrative Computing Coordinator. Students, if you are still not able to log in, you need to contact the OIT HelpDesk at (334) 844-4944.
For more troubleshooting tips, please see AU Access Troubleshooting.