Changing your password with the passwd command

There are a variety of circumstances under which you might want to change your password. These include the first time you log in, and any time you have accidentally exposed your password to others. You should also change your password routinely, about once every 6 months. See the CS policies for details.

To change your password, use the passwd command. The program will ask you for your current password, and then your new password. It will check your new password against a set of rules to ensure that you do not choose a weak password (again, see the CS policies for details). If your password is acceptable, it will ask you to type it again, to ensure that you did not mistype it. Once all of this is completed successfully, your password will be updated.

Well, not exactly. Because of the administration system we use, your password may stay the same for up to 10 minutes following the successful completion of the passwd program. If your new password is not working, try the old one, or wait 10 minutes. If you have waited for more than 10 minutes and none of your passwords work, contact the CS staff for assistance.

For some guidelines on picking a good password, see the Changing Your Password section of "Starting Out".

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