Password Change Policies

A password change should always be made online via the central OVGU portal. This ensures that all connected services can adopt the new password correctly and use it immediately.

Rules for setting secure passwords

Passwords form the basis for the secure authentication of user accounts. They are also used for data encryption. A strong password protects against unauthorized access to personal or business information.

Minimum requirements for a secure password

At least 12 characters long
Contains at least one of each
- Upper case letters (A-Z)
- Lower case letters (a-z)
- Numbers (0-9)
Contains at least one of the following special characters:
# % & * _ - + = ( ) : ; < > , . ?
Please note: Blanks and umlauts (ä, ö, ü) or ß are not permitted
Avoid character combinations that may not be permitted in your target application!
Do not use words or names from known languages
Do not use simple keyboard sequences such as “qwertz”, ‘123456’ or “asdfgh”
Enter the password unobserved - especially in public or shared environments
The password should not have any comprehensible meaning for other people

Methods for creating a secure and memorable password

Three Proven Methods to Create a Secure Yet Memorable Password – While Meeting All Requirements:

Sentence Method

Use the first letters of a self-invented sentence (not a proverb!) and add numbers and a special character.

Example:
“I have been working in the Computer Science Department for 4 years!” → IhbwitCSDf4y!
Syllable Method
Create a made-up, pronounceable word using random syllables, and enhance it with numbers and special characters. Example: mu9Tra#viko
Character Replacement and Insertion Method

Use a familiar word as a base, and replace or insert individual letters with numbers and special characters – so that no real word remains recognizable.

Example: Su6n#daY+Bl (from “Sunday” and “Blue”)