Passwords Guidelines

Creating strong, secure passwords is essential to protecting your personal information and maintaining the safety of your FDU NetID account. This article provides clear guidelines for password creation, including complexity requirements, helpful tips, and best practices to ensure your account remains secure. By following these guidelines, you can create passwords that are not only compliant with university policies but also resilient against potential threats.

Guidelines for Passwords

• Passwords must be between 8-16 characters
• Pass a basic complexity check

Password Requirements:

• At least one uppercase letter
• At least one lowercase letter
• At least one number
• At least one special character

Passwords must not:

• Contain your first or last name
• Be the same as any prior passwords

Helpful Tips:

• Longer passwords (or “passphrases”) can be created using a phrase or sentence. These are easy to remember but difficult for others to guess.
• A short, meaningful phrase or sentence is often easier to recall.

Other Important Password-Related Guidelines:

• Your account is your responsibility. Do not share your password with others, including technicians. FDU IT staff will never ask for your password.
• Avoid choosing a password based on personal information that someone who knows you could guess.
• Do not use your FDU NetID or your name/department name as your password.
• Refrain from using your FDU NetID and password to access third-party systems (e.g., online shopping, newspapers, travel websites).
• Avoid letting software save or store your passwords. This increases the risk of unauthorized access and makes it harder to remember your password if you don’t type it in regularly.
• Always log out of programs or websites and close your browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome) when done, especially on public computers.
• Treat your passwords as valuable and protect them accordingly.

To learn how to change your NETID password, follow the steps in this article:

For more details, refer to the University’s Password Policy:

See also