About Password Self-Reset

Introduction

Using the new password self-reset feature, you can create a new account password when you have forgotten your old password. Before using this feature, you must specify password reset questions and answers in the UK Account Manager (https://ukam.uky.edu/manager/). In the future when you forget your password, you will be prompted to answer your two password reset questions. Answering the questions correctly will allow you to create a new password.

Before enabling password self-reset for your UK Account, please read the Creating Good Password Self-Reset Questions section below.

Document Index

• Creating Good Password Self-Reset Questions
• Setting Up Password Self-Reset for Your UK Account
• Using Password Self-Reset
• When Password Self-Reset Does Not Work
• For More Assistance

About IT Technical Assistance

This document is maintained and copyright 2002-2007 by the University of Kentucky Information Technology Customer Service Center for the students, faculty and staff of the University. All rights reserved. Duplication of this document is permitted to the aforementioned audience.

Creating Good Password Self-Reset Questions

You should be extremely careful when creating your password self-reset questions. If you use questions that are easily guessed (e.g. "Who is the President of the United States?") someone else might be able to change your password and take control of your account. Good password self-reset questions are those that you will always be able to answer, but others will not.

• Avoid questions that have a limited set of possible answers (e.g. "Who is my favorite BackStreet Boy?" or "What's my favorite sport?").
• Avoid questions that involve your personal information that can be researched or stolen (e.g. "What is my Social Security Number?" or "What is my mother's maiden name?").
• Avoid questions that involve long answers (e.g. "What did my mom tell me before coming to school?" Answer: "To have fun, stay out of trouble and avoid making bad grades like my brother!").
• Be sure to take note of any special capitalization, punctuation and spacing you use in your answer. The password self-reset system does not consider the following answers as the same: "a race car driver", "A race car driver", "a race  car  driver" and "a race car driver!"

Setting Up Password Self-Reset for Your UK Account

Before you can use the password self-reset feature, you will need to enable it for your UK account.

1. Go to the UK Account Manager web site (https://ukam.uky.edu/manager/). Using your user ID (no AD\ or MC\ required) and password, login to the UK Account Manager.
2. The UK Account Manager menu will appear. Click on the Setup/Change Self-Service Password Reset option in the menu.
3. Read the additional instructions in the Password Self-Reset page. Enter in your current password and your questions and answers into the fields. Type in your questions and answers carefully to prevent any spelling or grammatical mistakes. Click on the Submit button when you are finished.
4. Password self-reset is now enabled for your account. Click on the Return to Menu button. In the UK Account Manager menu, click on Logout.

Using Password Self-Reset

In the future when you forget your password, you can use the Password Self-Reset feature to create a new password. After successfully changing your password, you may have to wait 5 to 10 minutes to allow your new password to be recognized by UK computer systems (myUK, eEmail, Download Server, Locker, etc.).

If you are unable to answer one of your password self-reset questions after three attempts, you will be locked-out of the password self-reset system for 30 minutes. After that time, you will be able to try resetting your password again. If you are unable to reset your password, please see the When Password Self-Reset Does Not Work section below.

1. Go to the UK Manager web site (https://ukam.uky.edu/manager/). Click on the Forget your password? link.
2. You will be prompted to enter your user ID (no AD\ or MC\ required). Enter it into the field and click Next.
3. You will be presented with your password self-reset questions. Enter the answers that you specified and click the Next button.
4. You will be prompted to create a new password. Type your new password into the New Password and Verify New Password fields. Your new password should meet the password complexity requirements presented.
   Click on the Submit button.
5. Your password will be successfully reset.

When Password Self-Reset Does Not Work

You password self-reset feature will not work if you have forgotten the answers to your questions or if you have not enabled password self-reset for your UK account. You can still have your password reset by the IT Customer Service Center (http://www.uky.edu/IT/CustomerService/) by either calling the IT Customer SErvice CEnter at 859-257-1300, by bringing a photo ID to ourr offfices at 111 McVey Hall, or by having your department SEcurity Liaison submit a faxed or emailed request.

Once your password is reset by the CSC, you should log into the UK Account Manager (https://ukam.uky.edu/manager/) and change your password from the default setting. If you are not immediately prompted to configure new password self-reset questions you should then choose the Setup/Change Self-Service Password Reset option. If you have not specified your self-reset questions, you will be prompted to create them. If you have already specified your questions but forgot the answers, you may create new questions and answers by clicking on the Modify button.

For More Assistance

Please contact the IT Customer Service Center if you have any questions or problems while following these instructions. The IT CSC is open from 7AM to 6PM Monday through Friday. You may come directly to the CSC at 111 McVey Hall. You may also reach the CSC by phone (859.257.1300) or email (helpdesk@uky.edu).