USI IT Advisory: Password change requirement

The USI IT department has been working hard to prepare our campus for ongoing password change requirements. In higher education, hackers are continuously trying to break into our systems.  Cybersecurity is something we are intimately familiar with, but sometimes that’s not enough to stop the threat actor. That’s where ongoing password change comes in.

Think about all the announced breaches and how sensitive data is stolen. Depending on the breach the threat actor may now have your username and password. If a threat actor can get that information, they are one step closer to accessing your University of Southern Indiana account. By requiring an ongoing password change, an additional layer of security is added and this can keep the threat actor out. 

Here are some FAQs about the upcoming password change (this information can also be found in our knowledge base located at services.usi.edu):

When will this occur? 

Starting Tuesday, June 25, if you haven’t changed your password in the last year, the system will request that your password be changed. After you have changed your password, you will not be asked to change it again for a year. You can change your password at any time by accessing the password change feature on myUSI.     

What are the password requirements?

The current password requirements are 12 alphanumeric characters, including upper and lower case, numeric characters and a special character.    

What if I forget to change my password?

If you do not change your password before June 25, then the next time you log in you will be forced to change your password. In that case, you will need to contact the Help Desk at 812-465-1080 to assist with getting your password changed.