Strong passwords remain one of the simplest—and most effective—ways to protect our digital community. At a large institution like UBC, safeguarding account credentials is about more than protecting your personal email or calendar. It’s about helping preserve the confidentiality of student, research, and administrative data across the university.
Weak or reused passwords continue to play a major role in enterprise breaches. When the same password is used across personal and work accounts, a compromise on a non-UBC service—such as a personal email provider—can open the door to unauthorized access to UBC systems. If attackers obtain a single password, they may be able to enter connected accounts, change or delete files, and even impersonate you.
By taking a few practical steps, faculty and staff can make meaningful contributions to a secure digital campus—no advanced technical skills required.
Three Ways to Strengthen Our Security Culture
Passwords are a foundational part of cybersecurity. The practices below can help protect your accounts and support the security of the broader UBC community.
Think in Passphrases | When it comes to security, length matters. UBC recommends creating a passphrase of at least 16 characters—a simple sentence-like phrase made up of several unrelated words. Passphrases are easier to remember than traditional passwords, but much harder for attackers to guess. A good passphrase might look like: sunshine blue trees swimming To get the most from your passphrase:
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Use a Password Manager | If juggling dozens of unique credentials feels daunting, a password manager can help. These tools store all your passwords securely in one place, locked behind a single master password. Password managers can also generate strong passwords for you and store other sensitive information such as credit card numbers, passport details, and secure notes. A few tips to get started:
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Keep Your Credentials Private | Even with strong passwords, your accounts are only secure if you keep your login information to yourself. Never share your password—not with friends, family, or colleagues. Phishing attacks are a common tactic used to trick people into revealing their credentials, often by pretending to be an authority figure or service provider. Remember: UBC officials will never ask you for your password. If someone reaches out requesting login information, treat it as suspicious. |
Working Together to Protect UBC
Weak password habits put both personal and institutional data at risk. Password-related security failures contribute significantly to breaches, which can cause serious operational and financial impact.
By creating strong passphrases, using a password manager, and keeping credentials confidential, you help make secure behaviours the default at UBC. Taking these steps protects not only your own accounts, but also the broader university community.
Your password is often the first line of defence against unauthorized access. A few minutes spent strengthening your password habits can make a major difference.
Let’s continue working together to safeguard our shared digital campus. Start today by choosing a password manager and updating your master password.