Setting/resetting passwords

How to change your account password and what to do if you forget it.

Your password is the only security measure preventing other users from illegally accessing your account. For this reason, it is important that you do NOT share your password with others and that you choose a secure password.


NOTE: The current password guidelines endorsed by UBC Information Security is to use a passphrase rather than a simple password, as it is easier to remember and easier to type on a mobile device (smartphone). This ArsTechnica article gives a good explanation of how to build a great passphrase.


We recommend that different accounts each have unique passwords; this dramatically increases your security (use different usernames if possible, too).

Instructions

Before you begin:

If you have never done this before, you must use our form to associate your CWL ID to your CS account ID (new as of Dec 9, 2014). You only need to do this only once.

Whichever CWL account you use to log into the form below will be the account permanently associated to your CS ID. You will use this CWL account to change your CS password in the future.

  • Link CWL to CS ID
  • You will be asked to log into both CS and CWL accounts.
  • We recommend you use the same CWL ID as your CS ID, if possible, but with different passwords.

Changing or resetting your password

If for some reason, the password reset page does not work, please contact the helpdesk (help@cs.ubc.ca).

Before you begin:

If you have never done this before, you must use our form to associate your CWL ID to your CS account ID (new as of Dec 9, 2014). You only need to do this only once.

Whichever CWL account you use to log into the form below will be the account permanently associated to your CS ID. You will use this CWL account to change your CS password in the future.

  • Link CWL to CS ID
  • You will be asked to log into both CS and CWL accounts.
  • We recommend you use the same CWL ID as your CS ID, if possible, but with different passwords.

Changing or resetting your password

If for some reason, the password reset page does not work, please contact the helpdesk (help@cs.ubc.ca).

Before you begin:

If you have never done this before, you must use our form to associate your CWL ID to your CS account ID (new as of Dec 9, 2014). You only need to do this only once.

Whichever CWL account you use to log into the form below will be the account permanently associated to your CS ID. You will use this CWL account to change your CS password in the future.

  • Link CWL to CS ID
  • You will be asked to log into both CS and CWL accounts.
  • We recommend you use the same CWL ID as your CS ID, if possible, but with different passwords.

Changing or resetting your password

If for some reason, the password reset page does not work, please contact the helpdesk (help@cs.ubc.ca).

Changing or if you forgot your password

Click on: https://www.cs.ubc.ca/getacct

The getacct program resets both your Unix and Windows passwords.

If you have forgotten your CWL password, go here first.

Before you begin:

If you have never done this before, you must use our form to associate your CWL ID to your CS account ID (new as of Dec 9, 2014). You only need to do this only once.

Whichever CWL account you use to log into the form below will be the account permanently associated to your CS ID. You will use this CWL account to change your CS password in the future.

  • Link CWL to CS ID
  • You will be asked to log into both CS and CWL accounts.
  • We recommend you use the same CWL ID as your CS ID, if possible, but with different passwords.

Changing or resetting your password

If for some reason, the password reset page does not work , please contact the helpdesk (help@cs.ubc.ca).

 

Course Accounts

Course accounts still need to be done the onerous, old-fashioned way for now:

Step 1 (Change your Unix password)

ssh to remote.ugrad.cs.ubc.ca and use the command

passwd

to change your UNIX password to something more secure.

Step 2 (Change your Windows password)

Without logging off linux, connect to a Windows environment by typing in the commandrdesktop tse.use.cs.ubc.cafrom the command line. Login to Wndows using your OLD password. Once you are logged in, click on the Start button, then select Windows Security. Click on the "Change Password..." button. Change your Windows password to match your new Unix password.

If you decide to skip step 2, you can sign in later to any undergrad Windows PC or terminal server using your old Windows password and change your Windows password as follows:

  • Hold down the Control-Alt-Delete keys simultaneously and a menu will appear.
  • Click on the "Change Password..." link.
  • Change your PC password to match you new Unix password.

Forgetting your password

You will need to contact the helpdesk (help@cs.ubc.ca) to reset your password for you, as there is currently no self serve method for resetting passwords for department accounts.

Contact

help@cs.ubc.ca