Introduction
The words "password" and "passphrase" are often used interchangeably.
Contents
- Introduction
- Instructions
Password Complexity Requirements
- Must be at least 12 characters
- Can be a maximum of 64 characters
- Spaces are allowed
- Shorter passwords (12 - 19 characters) must include mixed case letters plus either a number or special character.
- Longer passwords (20+ characters) offer more freedom - you can use spaces and any combination of characters, cases and symbols. Sentences and memorable phrases are allowed
- Cannot use a password known to have been compromised and exposed
- Cannot be the same as any of your last five Virginia Tech passwords
- Cannot contain your VT Username forward or backwards
- Cannot contain sequences of five or more ordered characters (for example: abcde, qwert, 12345, aaaaa, 11111)
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Password Change Frequency
Account |
Password Change Frequency |
PID |
Annually |
HOKIES |
Annually |
Network / Wireless |
Never |
Banner |
Annually |
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Password Tips
- Longer passwords are stronger
- Use four or more unrelated words (for example: Gobbler bicycle cheesecake horse)
- Never reuse passwords
- Create a unique password for every account
- Use 2-factor authentication (DUO, Google Authenticator, etc.) when possible
- Consider using a password manager
- Record your passwords in a notebook that is stored in a secure place
- Do not store passwords for important sites (financial, medical, etc.) in your browser
- Never send a password (or credit card number) via email
- Try including the symbol(s) and number(s) in the middle of your password
- Try using a varying combination of lower- and upper-case letters in the password
- Do not use your name or Virginia Tech username, or any variation thereof, such as your name or Virginia Tech username spelled backwards, with mixed case letters
- Do not use word(s) that can be easily associated with you, such as the name of your spouse, child, pet, favorite football team, or literary character
- Change your passwords annually
- Never reply to any email that requests your password or other personal information; if you receive one, please follow the instructions at Self-Reporting Spam and Phishes
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Instructions
Change VT Username (PID) Passphrase
- Go to OneCampus.
- If the page appears dark with text overlaid, click the page to dismiss the overlaid text.
- If any OneCampus announcements pop-up, after reading the text, click the appropriate button to dismiss the pop-up.
- Near the top-right corner of the page, click Sign In.
- From the drop-down that appears, click Sign In.
- Type your credentials.
- In the Username text box, type your VT Username (PID), which is the first part of your @vt.edu email address.
- In the Password text box, type your VT Username (PID) passphrase.
- Click Login.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete authentication with your second factor.
- To the right of the OneCampus logo, in the What would you like to do? search box, type: account.
- On the keyboard, press Enter or Return.
- Click Manage Accounts.
- Once the Manage Accounts page, in the left menu, click Passphrase.
- On the left side of the page, in the VT Username text box, click Change Passphrase.
- In the Current passphrase text box, type your current VT Username (PID) passphrase.
- After carefully reading the agreement, click I will comply.
- In the Passphrase text box, type a new passphrase.
(For requirements and tips on creating a passphrase, see Password Requirements.)
- In the Passphrase again text box, re-type the new passphrase.
- You can either change your VT Username (PID) passphrase, only, or you can change your VT Username (PID) passphrase and your Hokies ID password to the same thing at the same time.
- If you have chosen a different password for your PID and your Hokies account, both passwords may need to be changed; if only one password is changed you may receive a notice to change the other. If BOTH passwords have been changed AFTER a scheduled notice, you may also receive a notice.
(If you change your Hokies ID password at the same time, it could take up to 24 hours for the changes to the Hokies ID password to take effect.)
- To change both your VT Username (PID) passphrase AND your Hokies ID password to the same thing, at the same time:
- At the bottom of the window, click Set Passphrase.
- To change only your VT Username (PID) passphrase without changing your Hokies ID password:
- At the bottom of the window, check the Advance: Do not set Hokies passphrase box.
- At the bottom of the window, click Set Passphrase.
- Your VT Username passphrase is now set. Your Hokies ID password should be set within a few seconds, but it could take up to 24 hours for the systems to sync.
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Reset VT Username (PID) Passphrase
- Go to OneCampus.
- Near the top-right corner of the page, click Sign In.
- From the drop-down that appears, click Sign In.
- You will see the Login screen prompting for username and password.
- Under the Passphrase text box, in the sentence "I forgot my username or password." click I forgot.
- Click I forgot my password.
- In the Username: text box, type your VT Username (PID) which is the first part of your @vt.edu email address.
- Click Reset Passphrase.
- In the Virginia Tech ID text box, type your numeric, 9-digit ID number.
(If you do not know your 9-digit ID number, type the last four digits of your Social Security Number.)
- Click Continue.
- The account recovery methods that you previously set up will appear.
- To the right of the method you want to use (Voice, SMS, Google Account, Yahoo Account, etc.), click the button.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to verify your account.
- When prompted, in the New passphrase text box, type a new passphrase.
(For requirements and tips on creating a passphrase, see Password Requirements.)
- In the New passphrase again text box, re-type the same passphrase.
- Click Reset Passphrase.
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Change or Reset Hokies Password via Account Manager
- This will change both your VT Username (PID) passphrase and your Hokies passphrase.
- You must know your VT Username (PID) passphrase to complete this set of instructions. (If you do not know your VT Username (PID) passphrase, instead of these instructions, follow the instructions at Change Hokies ID Password via MyCAT.)
- Close Outlook, Mail for Mac, and all other desktop email clients connected to Exchange.
- Go to OneCampus.
- If the page appears dark with text overlaid, click the page to dismiss the overlaid text.
- If any OneCampus announcements pop-up, after reading the text, click the appropriate button to dismiss the pop-up.
- Near the top-right corner of the page, click Sign In.
- From the drop-down that appears, click Sign In.
- Type your credentials.
- In the Username text box, type your VT Username (PID), which is the first part of your @vt.edu email address.
- In the Password text box, type your VT Username (PID) passphrase. (If you do not know your VT Username (PID) passphrase, instead of these instructions, follow the instructions at Change Hokies ID Password via MyCAT.)
- Click Login.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete authentication with your second factor.
- To the right of the OneCampus logo, in the What would you like to do? search box, type: account.
- On the keyboard, press Enter or Return.
- Click Manage Accounts.
- Click Passphrase.
- Click Change Passphrase.
- Enter your existing passphrase and click Proceed.
- Review the information and click I will comply if you agree to comply. The process cannot continue until you agree.
- In the Passphrase text box, type a new passphrase.
(For requirements and tips on creating a passphrase, see Password Rules.)
- In the Passphrase again text box, re-type the new passphrase.
- Clear the Advanced: Do not set Hokies passphrase. box.
- Click Set Passphrase.
- Click Next and log out when complete.
- Immediately update all desktop email clients and all mobile devices that connect to Exchange with your new password. This is to prevent your account from getting locked. Be sure to update your email clients one at a time, because starting all of them at once may cause you to be locked out.
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Change Hokies ID Password via MyCAT
- Close Outlook, Mail for Mac, and all other desktop email clients connected to Exchange.
- Go to OneCampus.
- If the page appears dark with text overlaid, click the page to dismiss the overlaid text.
- If any OneCampus announcements pop-up, after reading the text, click the appropriate button to dismiss the pop-up.
- To the right of the OneCampus logo, in the What would you like to do? search box, type: mycat.
- On the keyboard, press Enter or Return.
- Click MyCAT.
- If prompted, log on with your Hokies ID and Hokies ID (Exchange) password.
(Your Hokies ID is the same as your VT Username (PID). Your Hokies ID password may be different than your VT Username (PID) passphrase.)
(If you have forgotten your password, follow the instructions at Reset Hokies ID Password via Account Manager instead.)
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete authentication with your second factor.
- In the first section of information, click Change Password.
- In the Old Password: text box, type your current Hokies ID password.
- In the New password: text box, type a new password. For requirements and tips on creating a passphrase, see Password Rules.
- Click Change Password.
- Immediately update all desktop email clients and all mobile devices that connect to Exchange with your new password. This is to prevent your account from getting locked. Be sure to update your email clients one at a time, because starting all of them at once may cause you to be locked out.
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Reset Hokies ID Password via MyCAT
- Close Outlook, Mail for Mac, and all other desktop email clients.
- Contact 4Help by calling 540-231-4357 and ask to have your forgotten Hokies password reset. A customer support agent will assign you a temporary password.
- Follow the instructions in the Change Hokies ID Password via MyCAT section of this page using the temporary password given to you as the "Old Password".
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View, Change, or Reset Network Password
A network password is used by Virginia Tech faculty, staff, and students to connect to the wireless (wifi) network eduroam and the remote access - VPN service.
- Go to OneCampus.
- If the page appears dark with text overlaid, click the page to dismiss the overlaid text.
- If any OneCampus announcements pop-up, after reading the text, click the appropriate button to dismiss the pop-up.
- Near the top-right corner of the page, click Sign In.
- From the drop-down that appears, click Sign In.
- Type your credentials.
- In the Username text box, type your VT Username (PID), which is the first part of your @vt.edu email address.
- In the Password text box, type your VT Username (PID) passphrase.
- Click Login.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete authentication with your second factor.
- To the right of the OneCampus logo, in the What would you like to do? search box, type: password.
- On the keyboard, press Enter or Return.
- Click Network Password.
- If prompted about "Your password cannot be displayed" click the button corresponding to your choice:
- To proceed, click Generate new password.
Important: Your current network password will stop working. You will be given a new, automatically generated network password. The new, automatically generated password is the only network password that will work.
- To keep your current network password without making changes, click Done.
Your network password will not be changed from what it is now, and your current network password will continue to work.
- Under your email address will be displayed your new or current network password. If you want to have a new, different password automatically generated, click Generate new password.
- Wait 30 minutes for the password to sync.
- Change the password on any devices that connect to Virginia Tech wireless eduroam or the remote access - virtual private network (VPN) to your new network password. Otherwise, those devices will not be able to connect.
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Change or Reset Oracle Banner or Warehouse ID Password Using VT Username (PID) Passphrase
- Go to OneCampus.
- If the page darkens with text overlaid, click anywhere on the page to dismiss the overlaid text.
- Near the top of the page, in the What would you like to do? search box, type: banner.
- On the keyboard, press Enter or Return.
- Click IMS Websystem.
- Click the link corresponding to the type of password you want to change or reset.
- Under If you don't know your current Oracle password, click the reset button below., click Reset Password.
- In the PID text box, type your VT Username (PID), which is the first part of your @vt.edu email address.
- In the PID password text box, type your VT Username (PID) passphrase.
- From the Duo Device: drop-down, click the method that you want to use to complete second factor authentication.
- In the Oracle ID: text box, type your VT Username (PID).
- In the New Oracle Password: text box, type a new password.
(For requirements and tips on creating a passphrase, see Password Rules.)
- In the Verify New Password: text box, re-type the same password.
- Click Reset Password.
When you change your password in the Banner instance, the change will synchronize with the vatech, vtfbanner, and warehouse instances as well. However, all other instances will not change.
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Change Oracle Banner or Warehouse ID Password
- Go to OneCampus.
- If the page darkens with text overlaid, click anywhere on the page to dismiss the overlaid text.
- Near the top of the page, in the What would you like to do? search box, type: banner.
- On the keyboard, press Enter or Return.
- Click IMS Websystem.
- Click the link corresponding to the type of Oracle / Banner password you want to change.
- In the Oracle Id: text box, type your VT Username (PID), which is the first part of your @vt.edu email address.
- In the Current Password: text box, type your current Banner password.
(If you have forgotten your password, follow the instructions at Reset Oracle Banner or Warehouse ID Password instead.)
- In the New Password: text box, type a new Banner password.
(Your new Oracle / Banner password cannot contain the /, @, $, or " characters.
If you use 'Banner Job Submission' your Oracle password cannot contain the /, @, $, &, <, >, {, }, (, ), |, `, %, ; or " characters.)
- In the Verify New Password: text box, re-type the new password.
- Click Change Password.
When you change your password in the Banner instance, the change will synchronize with the vatech, vtfbanner, and warehouse instances as well. However, all other instances will not change.
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Forgot Virginia Tech Avaya Voicemail Password
If you are affiliated with Virginia Tech and do not know your Virginia Tech voice mail password and need to reset it, contact 4Help at 540-231-4357, and ask to have your voicemail password reset.
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Forgot Advanced Research Computing Password
Virginia Tech affiliates, use your VT Username (PID) and passphrase to access Advanced Research Computing (ARC) systems.
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Change or Reset Unified Communications (UC) Password
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