To protect Florida SouthWestern State College’s systems and data, all employees are required to create and maintain strong, secure passwords. Passwords must contain at least eight characters and include a mix of character types—such as uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using easily guessed words, patterns, or personal information. Passwords should be unique to each account and never shared, written down, or stored in unencrypted formats.
Employees must change their user-level passwords at least every 60 days, and system-level passwords should be updated quarterly. If a password compromise is suspected, it must be reported immediately to the Information Technology Department.
Do not share passwords with anyone, including administrative assistants or secretaries.
All passwords are to be treated as sensitive, confidential Florida SouthWestern State College information:
- Passwords should never be written down or stored on-line without encryption.
- Do not reveal a password in email, chat, or other electronic communication.
- Do not speak about a password in front of others.
- Do not hint at the format of a password (e.g., "my family name").
- Do not reveal a password on questionnaires or security forms.
- If someone demands a password, refer them to this document and direct them to the Information Technology Department.
- Always decline the use of the "Remember Password" feature of applications (e.g., Email account, Messenger services, Web Browser, etc.).
These practices help safeguard College resources and ensure compliance with information security policies.