You use your uniqname and UMICH Kerberos password when you log in to Wolverine Access and to most ITS-provided computing services (such as mail.umich.edu, MFile, your directory profile, the ITS Login Service, and more). People on U-M's Medical Campus refer to the UMICH Kerberos password as the Level 1 password.
A uniqname is like a user ID or user name and is part of your e-mail address. Uniqnames are made up of three to eight alphabetic characters (for example, bjensen). You can tell anyone your uniqname.
Your UMICH Kerberos password (also known as simply UMICH or Kerberos) proves you are who you say you are. NEVER tell anyone your UMICH Kerberos password — not even your parents, best friend or computer support personnel. Doing so would put all of your personal information stored within the U-M computing environment at risk.
Find out how to select a safe UMICH Kerberos password.
See also the What is my U-M Windows Active Directory password? question below.
If you are having trouble getting an OTID (One-Time Identifier) or using an OTID to create your uniqname, you can contact the ITS Service Center at (734) 764-HELP [764-4357] for assistance.
Incoming U-M students on the Ann Arbor campus, as well as new staff hired through the university's online job posting and hiring system, receive an OTID when they join the U-M community. They use their OTID, along with their U-M ID number (UMID), to create their own uniqname via a web page. The ITS Service Center can resolve problems that occur at any point in the OTID and uniqname creation process.
For your protection, the Service Center does not provide IDs, usernames or passwords by e-mail. To obtain this information, please contact the Service Center by phone.
No. Absolutely not. A thousand times, no. Don't send it.
No one other than you should know your UMICH Kerberos password. You should never tell anyone your password, and you should never send it to anyone through e-mail.
Change your password if you suspect it has been compromised.
We recommend that you check your password for security every six months.
We may ask you to change your password if it is identified as weak, but we will never ask you to send it to us.
No one at U-M should ever ask you your password for any reason. We ask you to use it when you log in to ITS and other U-M computing services, of course, but we will never ask you to tell or give it to us or to any other person. Your password is yours, and you need to keep it private.
Be suspicious of password requests—and all requests for identity information. People who send you e-mail asking for your password are up to no good. They want your password so they can get access to your U-M computing account and, perhaps, to U-M computing services generally. Attempts to trick you into revealing your password or other private information are called "phishing" scams.
If you are ever in doubt as to the legitimacy of a message, you can contact the ITS Service Center. They will help you figure out whether the message is valid or not.
You can use your U-M Windows Active Directory password with your uniqname to access U-M computing services such as the Exchange e-mail and calendaring service provided to departments by ITS (and other services in UMROOT). You can also use it to log in to services or computers provided by your department or unit.
All U-M students, faculty and staff have a U-M Windows Active Directory account, regardless of the type of computer they use.
Most people find it easiest to set their Active Directory password to the same thing as their UMICH Kerberos password so they don't have to remember which U-M service uses which password. For instructions, see Choosing and Changing a Secure UMICH Password (R1162).
You can change your UMICH Kerberos password and your U-M Windows Active Directory password on the web at the U-M Password Change page:
Log in with your uniqname and UMICH Kerberos password.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
Click logout when you are finished.
See also:
See Choosing and Changing a Secure UMICH Password (R1162) for tips and guidelines.
Many people forget their password at one time or another. If you forget your UMICH Kerberos password and you set a hint for yourself last time you changed it, go to the password hint page and enter your uniqname to retrieve your hint.
If you did not enter a hint, or the hint doesn't help, you can ask the people at the ITS Service Center to reset your password for you. Phone (734) 764-HELP [764-4357] to request a password reset.
For your protection, the Service Center does not provide IDs, usernames or passwords by e-mail. To obtain this information, please contact the Service Center by phone.
For Alumni Only. Alumni who are not faculty, staff or student and who do not subscribe to U-M Online can reset their password on the Alumni Uniqname Management website.
If you know your UMICH Kerberos password, you can use it to log in to the Change Password page to reset your Active Directory password. Make sure the checkbox next to U-M Windows Active Directory is checked. Instructions for using the Change Password page are in Choosing and Changing a Secure UMICH Password (R1162).
The ITS Service Center can answer your questions about uniqnames and passwords.
These services are available to members of the University of Michigan community only.
February 6, 2012
© 2012 The Regents of the University of Michigan
