Password Requirements for Students and Staff

Password Requirements

Printable Version

Updated: 12/12/2024

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Passwords must be a minimum of 16 characters and a maximum of 256 characters.

While passwords are not required to include complexity and can be all lowercase, GCSC strongly encourages users to enhance their passwords or passphrases by incorporating some complexity. Strengthening your password can be as simple as adding spaces, numbers, or uppercase letters.

Certain passwords are not accepted as GCSC enforces Microsoft's Global Banned Password List. Additionally, GCSC does not allow passwords that include (but are not limited to):

• Personal Identifiers: Your name, nickname or initials
• College References: Mentions of the College, it's mascots, location, etc.
• Easily Guessed Words: "password" or "P@ssw0rd"
• Common Phrases: “The best is…” or “I love my…” or “Softball is…” or “How Are You…” or “God is …”
• Simple Sequences: "abcd" or "1234"
• Keyboard patterns: "qwerty" or "qazwsx"

Password Best Practices

Follow these best practices to create strong and secure passwords or passphrases:

• Choose an uncommon combination of four to eight easy-to-remember words.
• Incorporate spaces between or within words.
• Use capital letters or capitalize specific words.
• Add punctuation and special characters that are meaningful to you but difficult for others to guess.
• Use unique or abbreviated spellings of words.
• Replace some letters with numbers to create variations (e.g., "E" becomes "3").