UC Home Maps A-Z Index Web Search People Search UC Tools  
University of Cincinnati - UCit   University of Cincinnati - Home
 
 

Password Self-Service (PSS) Help Page

This page discusses the Password Self-Service (PSS) feature and provides step-by-step instructions for the various features of PSS.


PSS
[Top]

  • What is PSS? Why should you use PSS? [Top]

    Password Self-Service allows you to reset your password to any connected application without having to call helpdesk. You simply answer a few questions and, if you later forget your password, you can reset your password instantly using PSS. You will be prompted with your questions and then allowed to reset your password yourself!

    PSS also allows you to reset your password at any time without having to provide answers to your questions if you simply log in normally.

  • Setting up your PSS profile [Top]

    To set up your Password Self-Service Profile, please visit: https://www.uc.edu/PSS

    This link will take you to a page where you are asked to log in to PSS using your current password. If you do not remember your current password, you will need to call the helpdesk one last time (513-556-HELP) to have your "Central Login" password reset.

    PSS Login

    Once logged in, you will see a screen that presents several questions for you to answer. Your answers to these questions can be anything you like, but if you provide the real answers it will be easier to remember the answers in several months or years when you need them. This set of questions is designed to make the answers easy to remember.
    The answers you provide will be encrypted and cannot be read by anyone, even the administrators of the system.

    Here is how your answers are kept safe: They are never saved!
    When you submit an answer, say ‘forty-two’, the program encypts it to something like this ‘a16ca146e5e432fa7e30319121ea7473’.  It is this long string of gobbledy-gook that is stored in the database, not the actual information you input.  Later, when you provide your answer for a reset, the system will again encrypt the answer you provide then compare the encrypted result to the encrypted result saved when you set up PSS.  If the two encrypted values match, you provided the same input both times and the system allows you to reset your password.

    The questions you will see are:

    What are the last four of your SSN?
    What is your mother's maiden name?
    What is your birth date (MMDDYYYY)?
    Where were you born?
    What is your favorite color?
    What is your favorite animal?
    What is your favorite (or least favorite) food?
    Create your own question.

    Remember, your answers will be encrypted and can be anything you like, but you need to provide answers you will remember weeks or months from now if you forget your password.

    PSS Login

    Once you have entered your answers to these questions, click Submit. You will be shown a confirmation screen. Your PSS profile is now set up. If you forget your password to any connected applications, you may now reset your password yourself, using PSS.

    NOTE! The "Change Again" link you see is only there to let you easily go back if you want to modify anything you just entered. It is not a request to go do it again. You do not need to click this and enter new information!

    PSS Confirmation

  • Resetting a forgotten password [Top]

    If you have forgotten your password, you can use PSS to change it to an new password.

    Go to the PSS login page. This time, instead of trying to log in, click the "Forgot Password" link as shown by the green arrow below.

    PSS Forgotten Password

    You will be prompted for your username. Enter it (typically your 6+2), then click Submit

    PSS enter user name

    You will then be presented with a few of your questions, chosen at random.
    Enter your answers, then click Submit

    PSS questions

    You will then be permitted to enter a new password

    PSS new password

  • Changing your password (when you still remember your old password) [Top]

    You may also change your password at any time if you remember your current password.

    Simply log into PSS as discussed above. Then click on the "Change Password" link on the left hand side of the page. Using this tool you can change your password anytime you like without having to call helpdesk

    Your new password must contain:
    - At least one lowercase lette
    - At least one uppercase letter
    - At least one number
    - Must be a minimum length of eight characters
    - Your password may not contain an form of your name or username

    Click submit to change. Your password will be changed in all connected systems.

    NOTE! The "Change Again" link you will see on the resulting page is only there to let you easily go back and change it again. It is not a request to do so. You do not need to click this and enter new password!

    PSS password changer

  • Connected Applications [Top]

    Changing your password using PSS will change it in all systems conncected to it. More systems are being added, but here is the current list of connected systems and their applications:

    Systems

    Included Applications

    ID Vault
    (Central Login)
    Advisor Tool box
    Blackboard Class List
    Class List
    Class grading
    College of Business Students Survey
    Commencement
    Community Connections
    Course Planning Guide
    Degree Audit

    Degree Programs
    Faculty Elections
    Gartner Portal
    Global Studies Grant Application
    Graduating Students Survey
    Homecoming
    Homecoming Admin
    Honors Scholar
    Housing
    HRTO
    HRTO UCFLEX
    Juniper VPN
    Law School
    Long Distance Billing
    New Student Orientation
    OneStop
    Parking
    R25 Request Event Form

    Raymond Walters College Survey
    Student Activities and Leadership Development
    Science Fair Admin
    Service Request
    Signon2
    Shuttle Dashboard
    Student Government Elections
    UC Authenticate
    UCFlex
    UC Volunteers
    UCID
    Ucit StudentGETit
    Active Directory Exchange CMS
    Langsam Library    
    UC Resident Housing    


  • Mac Users [Top]

    The Safari and Opera browsers are not technically supported by PSS. Safari and Opera will allow you to change and reset your password using PSS, but the initial setup of your security profile questions will require that you use Firefox or Internet Explorer (IE).

    Firefox for Mac has been successfully tested and will allow you to do the one-time setup of your PSS profile as well as reset or change password.

    If you do not wish to install Firefox or IE, you may complete your one-time PSS profile setup at any one of the windows-based computers available around campus. After that, you should be able to use your normal Safari or Opera browser to do password changes or resets.

    Otherwise, please call the UCit Helpdesk at 513 556-HELP

  • Supported Platforms [Top]

    PSS works on Internet Explorer 6 or better and on Firefox 2 or better.

  • If you are having trouble... [Top]

    UCit Helpdesk is still here to provide assistance if needed. Simply call 513 556-HELP

 
InfoSec Home
Free Anti-Virus
Report an Incident
Security Update
 
 

Featured Article

 
 



It's all UC Footer rule line