Use a strong password for your WVU Login account.
The WVU Password Standard requires that WVU Login password be 12 to 20 characters
long that uses letters, numbers and special characters because passwords that are
12-characters or longer and use numbers, capital letters, and symbols are the hardest
to crack. Use the following tips to create a strong password for your WVU Login
account:
- Do not use a single dictionary word. Using a single dictionary word, like “mountaineers” as your password is not sufficient and doesn’t meet the requirements of our Password Standard. Attackers have extensive dictionary lists pre-built and a password this weak can be cracked in 23 seconds.
- Add upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Make your password stronger by adding capital letters, numbers, and special characters. “M0unta1n33rs!” is a stronger password, but attackers try every combination of letters, numbers, and special characters in brute force attacks so it would only take them about 33 minutes to crack this password.
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Turn it into a passphrase. Turn your initial password into a phrase you can easily remember, working in upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. A passphrase like “M0unta1n33rsG0F1rst!” would take ten years to crack.
And remember, when creating your passphrase:
- NEVER use biographical details like your name, username, pet's name, phone number, or other information that people can easily find out about you. The same applies to password-reset questions.
- NEVER use keyboard patterns or sequences like qwertyuiop[, ~1234567890-, or asdfghjkl; for your password.
- NEVER use a password that can be found on a public website like M0unta1n33rsG0F1rst!
Keep your WVU Login password secure.
After you have created a strong password for your WVU Login, be sure to protect it.
- NEVER share your WVU Login password with anyone.
- NEVER leave your password where someone can find it. Under the keyboard, taped to the monitor, or taped to the wall is not a good place to keep passwords. If you must write a password down, store it in a locked location.
- Set up Duo two-factor authentication at login.wvu.edu.
- NEVER click on links from unknown senders requesting you provide your WVU Login username and password. If you have fallen for one of these phishing scams, go to login.wvu.edu and change your password immediately.
Use strong passwords at home, too.
- Create strong passwords for each personal account using the tips provided above and keep those passwords secure.
- Consider using a well-reviewed cross-platform password manager that can generate very long complex passwords for every application. Select a product that offers strong authentication.
- Password-protect your phone and/or tablet. Mobile devices can reveal a lot of information. Banking applications, password managers, email, social networking, photos and text messages could all be available to strangers and bad guys on an unlocked device.
- NEVER reuse passwords. Use a unique password for each of your important accounts. That way, if one account is compromised, the attacker won't have immediate access to the rest of your accounts.
- Change your password regularly. With enough time and resources, an attacker will be able to crack your password. Don’t give them the time.
Test Your Password Strength
How secure is your password? Test the strength of your current WVU Login password and see how long it would take a computer to crack it.
Test Your PasswordChange Your WVU Login
If your current WVU Login password is not strong enough, reset it to be a 12-character password that uses upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols.