So Think You Have Problems with your RAFINO Passwords?

The message below is anple reason/justification for you to download and install a decent password manager.  The new password scheme from DFAS is guaraneed to cause you to lose whatever hair you may still have.  

A decent password manager can save you all sorts of grief in managing/recalling all of these increasingly complex and unmemorable passwords.  They all save them encrypted under your own master password.

On another note, we understand from the Army Echos Online that MyPay will soon join VA and Tricare in implementing and requiring the new DOD Self Service Logon.

Republishing this blivet from DFAS, remarking:

"GOOD GRIEF CHARLIE BROWN - all that and must be changed every 60 days? DOD must be paranoid about the Chinese transferring all our retired pay to their accounts. "

Your myPay password will expire on 06/15/2013.  Please visit https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx and log in to create a new password.

myPay passwords expire every 60 days.

Your password must:

-  be 15 to 30 characters long
-  contain at least two uppercase letters (A-Z)
-  contain at least two lowercase letters (a-z)
-  contain at least two numbers (0-9)
-  contain at least two of the following special characters: # @ $ % ^ ! * + = _
-  change at least four characters from your previous password

Your password cannot:

-  contain spaces
-  be one of your last ten previous passwords

PASSWORD TIP
Here's one way to create a strong password you'll remember: Think of a sentence or phrase that's meaningful to you (i.e., my oldest son Zac will be 15 years old on May 30!).  Use the first letter of each word to create a password (i.e., mosZwb15yooM30!).  Then change some of the letters to similar special characters (i.e., mo$Zwb15yooM30!).  Warning: Do not use this example as your password. Now that it's been widely published, a hacker is likely to try it.

PASSWORD PITFALLS
For your own protection, please avoid passwords that use dictionary words in any language, personal information (such as your name, birthday, driver's license or passport number), sequences or repeated characters (such as Aa123Bb456Cc789#$), or adjacent letters on your keyboard (like qwerty123456!@#).

Writing down passwords or saving them on your computer can expose them to loss or theft.  If you do choose to document your password, be sure to store it safely in a lockbox or encrypt the document or file on your computer's hard drive.