UMass Password Policy

Password Policies are Changing

In order to better protect your personal and identity-related information and to comply with Massachusetts’ State regulations and audit requirements regarding minimum standards for creation of strong passwords, The University of Massachusetts Boston will implement a new password policy. Under the new policy, your UMass Boston email password must adhere to the following guidelines:

  1. Passwords must have a minimum length of eight (8) characters
  2. Passwords must include at least 3 out of 4 of the following:
    • Contain at least 1 upper-case character
    • Contain at least 1 lower-case character
    • Contain at least 1 special character (e.g. &, *, $, etc)
    • Contain at least 1 numeric character
  3. Passwords cannot contain all or part of your email address
  4. Passwords will expire after 180 days
  5. Passwords cannot be re-used

Please change your password to comply with the new complexity rules as soon as possible. Those accounts that have not changed their passwords by March 31, 2009 will not be able to logon to their email and other systems that use email passwords. Even if you do not use your UMB email as your primary account it the password needs to be changed because it provides access to other UMB services (Emergency Notification System, Blackboard, wireless access, etc..) .

Students : Click here to reset your password. You will need to know your email username and have your UMS number handy to reset your password.

Faculty and Staff: Click here for the step by step instructions about how to reset your password.

Try to create a password the will be complex, yet easy for you to remember.

 If you you have questions or problems or believe you should be active but cannot log in at webmail.umb.edu, then contact the IT Service Desk at (617) 287-5220 or IT Service Desk