If you have forgotten your password or your current one expires soon, then this page will tell you how to change it.
Weak passwords can be cracked in seconds. We require longer and more complex passwords to make them harder for cyber criminals to crack. Here we share the reasons for our password requirements and other ways you can keep your passwords safe. They are based on the latest advice from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to help you create a secure password.
You must never share your university username and password with anyone, and you must not use your university password on other websites or apps.
If you suspect that someone knows your password, or you have previously used it on other sites, please change it immediately. You can see how to do this below.
Sites which host stolen intellectual property ask for your username and password for a reason; so they can use it or resell it to a cyber-criminal. This puts our systems at risk.
Remember, never share any of your passwords with others.
A good way to make your password difficult to crack is by combining three random words to create a single password. For example AppleNemoBiro. By using a password that’s made up of three random words, you’re creating a password that will be ‘long enough’ and ‘strong enough’ to keep the criminals out, but easy enough for you to remember. Please include at least one number or special character.
Another useful way to create a strong password is to use a password generator. 1Password's Password Generator allows you to generate a random or memorable password, and specify its length plus the inclusion of numeric and/or special characters (please check for the inclusion of restricted characters as explained below).
Do not use your username, first name, last name, or any other personal information in your password. This information may be easy for cyber criminals to find, making it easier for them to crack your password.
Never reuse your university password. Create a different password for each site that you have an account on.
The most common passwords can be easily guessed (like ‘password’). You should also avoid creating passwords from significant dates like your birthday, or a loved one’s. Also avoid using family or pet names, or even your favourite sports team. Most of these details can be found on your social media profile.
For university accounts, avoid using words related to our organisation. Hackers design their attacks for each organisation, so avoid using words like “university”, “Greenwich” or “Faculty” in your university password.
Do not use these symbols ¬ l £ or # or a space in your password. Some of our systems use computer code which contains these symbols. So using these symbols in your password can cause issues.
A password manager can store all your passwords securely, so you don’t have to worry about remembering them. This allows you to use unique, strong passwords for all your important accounts rather than using the same password for all of them, which you should never do. Find out more about password managers and how to use them here.
NCSC have released a file containing the top 100,000 hacked passwords. If you see a password that you use in this list, you should change it immediately.
Password re-use is still a major risk for you and our university. The password '123456' has been found 23 million times in recorded breaches. You might think that choosing a more complex password such as 'oreocookie' is better, but even that has been seen over 3,000 times. By following the guidance above or checking your accounts on Have I Been Pwned you are helping to keep your data and our systems safe.
If you have forgotten your password, then the process for resetting it depends on whether you're a student or staff member.
When you initially set up your security preferences, you will automatically be registered for password reset.
If you have forgotten your password, then the process for resetting it depends on whether you're a student or staff member.
I'm logging in for the first time/I know my password and want to change it/I know my password but it has expired
You can change your password using the password change form as described in the 'How to change your password' video below.
I've forgotten my password but have set up MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication)
You can reset your password via the 'Forgotten my password' link on the Portal login page.
I didn't receive my password and need to complete OLR/I've forgotten/lost my password but don't have MFA set up.
You will need to contact the IT Service Desk. The Service Desk can be reached at itservicedesk@gre.ac.uk or 020 8331 7555 and is open between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
You can then reset your password using the 'Forgotten my password' link on the portal login page.
You will need to contact the IT Service Desk. The Service Desk can be reached at itservicedesk@gre.ac.uk or 020 8331 7555 and is open between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
If you already know your password but wish to change it, then you can change it here. This works for both students and staff. You can do this from any computer - it doesn't have to be one within the university. Once you have updated your password, your new one will become active immediately.
The video below shows how to complete this process.
Contact the IT Service Desk for further advice and assistance.