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Doing your part to protect your UM accounts is essential to safeguard your personal information and UM’s data.
1. Use Strong Passphrases
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Length matters. Your passphrase should be at least 13 characters.
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Keep each one unique. Never reuse your UM passphrases across multiple UM accounts, or between UM and personal accounts.
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Make them memorable. Memorable but not guessable.
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Use a password manager. A password manager can help create and manage strong, unique passphrases for all accounts.
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Only you should know your password. If you suspect your passphrase has been compromised, reset it immediately and report the incident via email to infosec@umontana.edu.
2. Protect with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
UM currently uses Duo as the primary MFA solution for user accounts. With Duo, you can choose between:
Tips for using Duo safely:
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Always approve only the requests you initiated. If you receive an unexpected push or call, deny it — this may be an attack attempt.
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Avoid MFA fatigue. Don’t approve repeated requests if you’re not logging in yourself.
3. Account Safety at UM
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Think before you click. Be cautious with email links and attachments.
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Keep an eye on Duo. Never approve a login you didn’t initiate.
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Report issues quickly. If anything seems unusual with any of your UM accounts, contact UM IT for help.