OIT Offers LastPass Password Manager

OIT Offers LastPass Password Manager

Have trouble keeping track of all of your passwords? OIT is now offering a solution to UA students, faculty and staff – LastPass password management tool.

LastPass works as a browser extension and/or mobile device app to store University and personal passwords in a secure and encrypted environment. With LastPass, you will only need to remember one password – your master password.

“We’ve preached for years that longer passwords are stronger passwords,” said Ashley Ewing, UA chief information security officer. “The only problem with long, complex passwords is that they can be hard to remember.”

OIT is offering both enterprise and premium personal LastPass accounts. OIT encourages that all personal passwords be stored in personal accounts. Faculty and staff may also store University-related passwords in an enterprise account.

“It is crucial to keep University passwords separate from personal passwords,” said Ewing.

“If your time at UA comes to an end, the enterprise account will also end, but users can keep up with a personal LastPass account as long as you’d like.”

Along with storing passwords, LastPass can also generate new, complex passwords for accounts where you might have shorter, weaker passwords. LastPass enterprise accounts that store UA passwords are secured with DUO two-factor authentication. LastPass is not required for any users or entities on campus; however, it is recommended as a secure method to store passwords.

“Users across campus have been asking for password management tools for a while,” said Ewing. “I am happy that we can now provide it cost-free for the campus.”

Users can activate accounts at oit.ua.edu/software/lastpass. Once the account is activated, users can download the browser extensions and mobile device apps to begin using LastPass. The OIT website includes answers to frequently asked questions such as, “What if I already have a personal LastPass account?” Learn the answer to this question, and others, on the OIT website.