Security Answer Guidelines and Recommendations

When picking from the list of provided password reset questions, please be aware that anyone can access the password reset page, and it won't be hard for another student to guess your logon. The answers to your security questions, taken together, are effectively another password, exclusively used to recover access to your student account. Care should be taken to pick appropriate questions for you, so that you, and only you, can use the password recovery page to regain access to your account, should you forget your password.

When Picking Questions...

Keep in mind the following

1. A good answer is memorable.

A security answer is no good if you forget what you entered 2 months later or need to research it yourself.

2. A good answer will be easy to enter the same way over and over again.

Street addresses can be written numerous ways, such as 123 East Sesame Street and 123 E Sesame St. Be sure to use an answer you are confident you will remember how you entered it should you need to recover your password.

3. A good answer changes infrequently enough that you can remember what you entered later.

If your favorite song changes monthly, it is not the question for you as you may have trouble remembering what your favorite song was when you entered it at a later date.

4. A good answer should not be easily guessed or otherwise common.

"What is your favorite color" should only ever be chosen if your answer is an obscure color name. Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Purple, Gold, Silver, Brown, Black, and White are all poor choices.

5. A good answers should not be easily guessed or common by where you live either.

Many students will live in Wilmington and, many are Eagles fans, making both Wilmington and Eagles poor choices for answers.

6. A good answer would not be something someone can figure out by looking at you.

Be aware of what you broadcast with what you wear and bring with you. If you wear your Ravens jacket to school regularly, then it does not make a good answer.

7. A good answer is not something easily uncovered by eavesdropping.

If you frequently talk about your favorite band, then the band name does not make a good answer.

8. A good answer is not something found on your social media accounts.

Remember: If you posted it online, consider it public knowledge. Be mindful that your social media posts may contain some of these answers. If you follow your favorite sports team on Twitter, then you should not use it as an answer. Do not count on your service's privacy settings to hide your answers either.

9. A good answer is not something predictable.

If everyone in your group of friends holds a certain opinion, then using that as a security answer is predictable. If everyone feels that "Topps Diner" is the best food place in town, then using that to answer a security question is a bad idea.

10. A good answer is something you will not discuss.

The goal is "only you will know the answer." If you discuss your answer, someone else will, at the very least, be able to make educated guesses.