eID Password

eID

eID Management Portal

Reset Forgotten eID Password

How to reset your eID Password

eID Password Rules

The requirements for the VCU eID password are as follows. The eID password:

• Must be at least 12 characters long
• Must contain at least three of three of the following characters:
  • uppercase letter (A-Z)
  • lowercase letter (a-z)
  • number (0-9)
  • special character (e.g., @, #, $, %)
• Cannot contain your eID, first, middle, or last name
• Cannot have commonly used words like VCU, Password, or Rams
• Cannot be a password you have used in the past

Strong passwords cannot be guessed easily. Hackers often use automated tools to help them guess or crack passwords, and the easier a password is, the faster a hacker can break into a system. Here are some basic rules to follow to help protect your account from unauthorized access.

• Do not use all or part of your eID in your eID password
• Do not use all or part of your name in your eID password
• Avoid capitalizing the first character only. Adding several upper case letters throughout the password is best.
• Consider using a passphrase or sentence that is made up of multiple words and characters (e.g., IluvmyVCURamz!) 
• Do not use numbers in place of similar letters to form a word
  • Hackers know people do this. As a result, Passw0rd and C0mm0nw3alth are not secure passwords
• Do not use consecutive letters or numbers (e.g., Abcdef5g or o1234567Tn)
• Do not use adjacent keys on your keyboard (e.g., qWert6y)
• Do not write down your password
• Do not allow your browser to remember your passwords
• Do not share your password with anyone

eID Password Lockouts

Why is my eID account locked out?  Your eID will be locked out if there are too many attempts to log in with the wrong password.

What could be the possible cause?  An attempt could be submissions by a user on a login page or an automated submission by an application or device with saved passwords. The most common way for an account to get locked out is when a user's eID password is changed while the old one is saved in an IMAP email application (like Outlook, Windows Mail, or Mac Mail), VCU Wireless credentials, or in a mobile device like a phone or PDA. 

How to prevent a lockout?  To avoid lockouts of your account, remove the old saved password from the application before changing your eID password and close all applications before changing your password.

How to unlock my eID account? 

• After an account is locked, it should automatically unlock after required lockout interval as long as there are no attempts to log in. Otherwise, it will continue to stay locked
• The VCU IT Support Center can also unlock the account.

eID Password Expirations

All VCU eIDs require passwords to be changed periodically. eID passwords expire at different rates depending on the user groups you are enrolled in. The different rates are as follows:

• Initial password - expires after a minimum of 90 days
• Students - expiration is every 365 days
• Faculty/Staff - expiration is every 365 days
• Guest/Vendors - expiration is every 90 days
• Generic/Group  - expiration is every 365 days

After you set your password up the first time, you will have an initial expiration time with a minimum of 90 days. After resetting your password following the initial setup, the expiration time will follow the rates above. The new expiration time is based on the date you reset your password. Your password will expire 365 days after it is set, based upon the current password policy assigned.

You must change your eID password before it expires. When your password expires, you will not be able to access any resources which use the eID for authentication such as VCU Google Apps, myVCU portal, Banner INB, eServices, Canvas, VPN, and wireless. You will be notified via your VCU mail account about the pending expiration multiple times, starting two weeks before your password expires.