Students having the same passwords??

glenroe2006

This is a really weird issue that I discovered about two months ago. A couple of people from my course and I were talking about our DCU passwords (okay so it's a bit stupid to be talking about your passwords with other people, but anyway...) and a girl in my course said hers (it's a random mix of letters and numbers so we weren't really concerned that anyone could remember it or anything). Sure enough, it was the exact same password as mine. Is this not a bit of a security risk? I could just try to get into random accounts using my own password, and you never know, it might work! Bit worrying...

taidhger

I don't think there's much of a risk. I think it can be reasonably expected that most people change their password the first time they log in (and DCU should really enforce this), especially since their initial password is provided to them by a third party and is therefore untrustworthy.

Though the fact they assign the same "random" password initially doesn't exactly inspire confidence in DCU's IT security...

StickyMcGinty

taidhger wrote: »

I don't think there's much of a risk. I think it can be reasonably expected that most people change their password the first time they log in (and DCU should really enforce this), especially since their initial password is provided to them by a third party and is therefore untrustworthy.

Though the fact they assign the same "random" password initially doesn't exactly inspire confidence in DCU's IT security...

the DCU password is pretty solid dictionary attack wise... alphanumeric and 8 digits long is pretty good.

control - alt - delete when your logged into a dcu machine and click on change password will do the job for you if your that worried

LeixlipRed

It's entirely probable that we could all have the same password for our DCU account. Assuming they're generated randomnly would mean it's highly unlikely though. Just say it's a pretty weird coincidence. Nothing more.

Ace2007

taidhger wrote: »

I don't think there's much of a risk. I think it can be reasonably expected that most people change their password the first time they log in...

You would be surprised - i never changed it - in fact i know loads of people that still have it after years of being in the college,

lil_cain

taidhger wrote: »

I don't think there's much of a risk. I think it can be reasonably expected that most people change their password the first time they log in (and DCU should really enforce this), especially since their initial password is provided to them by a third party and is therefore untrustworthy.

Though the fact they assign the same "random" password initially doesn't exactly inspire confidence in DCU's IT security...

Someone should explain the meaning of the word "random" to you.

Will

lil_cain wrote: »

Someone should explain the meaning of the word "random" to you.

Someone should explain the word 'manners' to you... or was that "root exploits"? I always get mixed up.

Winters

Probably both.

Anarking

Additional comment of mockery.

taidhger

I apologise if the sarcasm wasn't clear enough

The_Hustler

taidhger wrote: »

I think it can be reasonably expected that most people change their password the first time they log in

Definitely not true, most people do not change it

Suaimhneach

Is it actually supplied by a third party? Seems... unnessacary.

taidhger

The third party being the IT people that came up with the password in the first place. I don't think you can trust a password when you don't know where it came from and who has seen it before it was supplied to you. It sounds like I was wrong to assume people change it ; good thing I don't work for IT security then :P.

Still though, shouldn't they force you to change it on first logging in? (I don't remember that window popping up though it's been a while)

Choco123

glenroe2006 wrote: »

This is a really weird issue that I discovered about two months ago. A couple of people from my course and I were talking about our DCU passwords (okay so it's a bit stupid to be talking about your passwords with other people, but anyway...) and a girl in my course said hers (it's a random mix of letters and numbers so we weren't really concerned that anyone could remember it or anything). Sure enough, it was the exact same password as mine. Is this not a bit of a security risk? I could just try to get into random accounts using my own password, and you never know, it might work! Bit worrying...

Don't be worried Patrick.

DON'T BE WORRIED!

Grudaire

taidhger wrote: »

I don't think there's much of a risk. I think it can be reasonably expected that most people change their password the first time they log in (and DCU should really enforce this), especially since their initial password is provided to them by a third party and is therefore untrustworthy.

I did, then discovered that it won't change for everything (labs or moodle or something) so I changed back!

Katniss everMean

taidhger wrote: »

I think it can be reasonably expected that most people change their password the first time they log in (and DCU should really enforce this), especially since their initial password is provided to them by a third party and is therefore untrustworthy.

The only problem with everyone changing there passwords is come exam time a lot of people are going to be screwed, most wont remember the old password or where that piece of paper with it was. As in for anonymous marking where you need to provide the first five/four characters of your novel password.

Although if your like me and during transferring course they manage to **** up your account you have a different password for computing, science block and Henry Gratten.
</div>