Tips regarding the password

Many IT services of the University of Vienna require users to log in. In addition to the u:account UserID, users require two passwords that they can manage themselves: u:account password and Wi-Fi password.

Info video: Password security

Duration: 07:32 minutes

Content: Creating a secure password | Using a password manager | Multi-factor authentication

You can activate English subtitles via the Subtitles button in the video controls.

Test your knowledge about password security with a short quiz (7 questions, duration: approx. 5 minutes):

To the password quiz

Creating a password

Requirements:

  • You should not use the same password you use for another service.
  • The password should not be identical to your u:account UserID.
  • The new password should not be identical to your previous password.
  • The u:account password and the Wi-Fi password should not be identical.

A password has to consist of the following elements:

  • At least 10 characters
  • At least 1 letter
  • At least 1 number, punctuation character or special character

You may use the following characters:

  • abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
  • ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
  • 0123456789
  • !"$&/()=?+*_.,;<>^|[]-

What is a secure password?

A secure password

  • is only known by you and the system you are using it for,
  • is a series of characters as random as possible,
  • cannot be deduced from your personal details and
  • does not contain complete words.

Protecting your password

Change your password immediately, if

  • you have lost your device (computer, smartphone) or if it was stolen,
  • your computer detected a virus and the virus was removed, or
  • you know or assume that somebody else knows your password.

According to section 2.5 of the Passwords Terms of Use (in German), you have to change your passwords every 2 years.

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