Password change Sep 2025

ECE Department Account Password Reset (ACTION REQUIRED)

In the past two weeks, our department has experienced two cybersecurity incidents involving compromised ECE accounts. In both cases, attackers exploited weak passwords to gain access and carry out malicious activity. These breaches put our operations — and the trust placed in us by our students, faculty, and the university — at risk.

As a precaution and to strengthen our defenses, all users of ECE Departmental Accounts are required to reset their passwords by end of day, Friday, September 26th. (note: this refers to your ECE account, not your CWL. These accounts should have different passwords).

To reset your ECE account password, visit https://id.ece.ubc.ca. After logging in, click the “Change password…” button on the main page.

Your new password must follow these requirements:

• At least 16 characters, using at least three space-separated words. Example:

 sunshine blue trees swimming

Additional guidance:

• Always use a unique password for each account.
• Never reuse your departmental password for personal services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo).
• Change your password at least once a year.
• Consider using a password manager. Managing multiple strong passwords can be challenging, but password managers make it easier and more secure. They store your credentials in an encrypted vault, generate strong passwords for new accounts, and auto-fill login forms across your devices. Setting one up may take a little time, but the long-term benefits far outweigh the effort. UBC’s Privacy Matters site offers guidance - https://privacymatters.ubc.ca/i-want/password-manager
• Never share your password. ECE IT staff will never ask you for it.
• All legitimate ECE services will only request your password over encrypted connections (such as HTTPS, SSH, or IMAPS). Any service that asks for your ECE password over unencrypted HTTP or by e-mail is fraudulent.
• If you receive a suspicious message that appears to be from UBC or ECE IT Services, contact us at it@ece.ubc.ca before responding.
• In line with ECE IT’s anti-phishing policy, a copy of this notice has also been posted at: https://help.ece.ubc.ca/Password_change_Sep_2025

This reset is an essential step in protecting our department from further compromise. Accounts not updated by end of day, Friday, September 26th may be disabled until a reset is completed.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter and for helping us safeguard our community.

Sincerely,

Steve Wilton
Professor, Department Head
Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of British Columbia