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Use a Strong Windows Password

It is imperative to use a strong Windows password to protect your PC from being accessed by other people. A strong password consists of using letters in combination with numbers and/or special characters. We have witnessed numerous machines on the SFSU campus which have been infiltrated because of blank or simple Windows passwords. Machines running Windows 2000 are especially suseptible to break-ins due to blank Windows passwords.

Strong passwords are defined as having at least eight characters and at least three out of the four following attributes:

• uppercase alphabetic characters (ABCDEF...)
• lowercase alphabetic characters (abcdef...)
• numeric characters (12345...)
• punctuation characters (!, @, #,?, ...)

An example of a strong Windows password would be: R0w#b0at

To set/change your Windows XP password if you log in locally (not to a domain)

1. Click on the Start button > Control Panel .
   
2. Click on User Accounts.
   
3. Under Pick a task..., select Change an account.
4. Select your Windows account name by clicking on it.
5. Click the Change your password button.
6. In the Type your current password field, enter your current password.
7. In the Type a new password field, enter your new password.
8. In the Type the new password again to confirm field, enter the same new password.
   
9. Click on the Change Password button.

Changing a Windows Password if you log into a Windows Domain or if using Windows 2000

1. Hold down the Ctrl key then press the Alt and Delete keys on your keyboard.
   A Windows Security window should appear with a variety of buttons at the bottom.
2. Click on the Change Password... button.
   
3. In the Old Password field type in your current password.
4. In the New Password field type in a new password.
5. In the Confirm New Password field type in the same new password then click on the OK button.

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Last Modified: 22 Sep 2004
doit@sfsu.edu