Password Security

To protect our clients, Larner College of Medicine Technology Services  will not ask for user passwords. Sharing passwords, even with technical support professionals, dilutes the efficacy of private passwords and passphrases. Therefore, LCOM staff will work with you to change your credentials, before servicing your machine, to a temporary password or passphrase known to you and the technician. When the work is completed, you will be asked to change your password on first login. At that time, you will be able to set your password to something more personal and memorable to you.

What does this mean for me?

If your credentials are needed to resolve your technical problem, you will be either asked to 1) stay with the technician and be required to enter your credentials at the appropriate time or 2) that you consent to have your password changed for the duration of the service.

If your credentials are not needed to solve your problem, no changes will be noticed by you.

What are the effects of a changed password?

Should your COMIS credentials need to be changed for the duration of the repair, you will be given a temporary password to use to access COMIS machines and services. Remember that if you have a smartphone or other device set to synchronize with your email and/or calendar, that device will need to have the temporary password entered into it to continue to work.

When the service period is over, your account will be set such that it will require you to change your password upon first use. At this time you can enter a password more memorable by you so long as it follows all of the password requirements (noted below). Once again, your smartphone or other synchronized device will need this new password entered into it to continue to work.

Why are you making this change?

Keeping your credentials and your data private and secured is our highest priority. COMTS holds firm that following the guidelines set forth by University Policy is the best way to ensure compliance with University, state and national security regulations. For more information, please see the University Policy page.

Note specifically

Reminder of Password requirements:

  • Must be at least 8 characters
  • Must contain 3 out of the 4 character types (upper case, lower case, numbers, symbols)
  • User can change password only once per day
  • System remembers and does not allow the re-use of the last 10 passwords
  • Cannot use or incorporate your name or username in your password