1. Background

An individual NetID plus a password is the primary authentication mechanism at the University to allow access to well-defined services, including but not limited to email, electronic file storage, the InsideND portal, and the University’s wired and wireless networks. All faculty, staff, and students receive an individual NetID when the University employs or enrolls them.

The University also uses additional categories of NetIDs to provide access to information technology resources on a service-by-service basis, governed by separate standards and requirements for each type of NetID and service. These standards apply to the creation of all categories of NetIDs.

2. Types of NetIDs

The University of Notre Dame grants access to University-owned information technology resources by issuing individual NetIDs to members of the Notre Dame community, persons affiliated with the University, and external consultants under contract. One NetID is assigned to each eligible individual, and that NetID is never reassigned, reused, or transferred to another individual. Departments or groups use shared NetIDs for research, collaboration, or other needs. University technical professionals also may create additional types of NetIDs for special purposes that are governed by different rules and standards. Types of NetIDs and their uses include:

• Individual: Issued to members of the Notre Dame community, persons affiliated with the University, and external consultants under contract, to provide access to University-owned information technology resources. Eligible individuals include faculty, post-doctoral scholars, full-time, part-time and temporary on-call staff, currently enrolled or prospective admitted students, retired faculty and staff, members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, sponsored consultants, and certain other affiliated individuals.
• Guest: A NetID assigned to individual sponsored guests for a limited duration to access a restricted set of services while they are visitors to campus.
• Supplemental: Assigned in addition to an individual NetID for facilitating specific work activities, and only used by one individual. For example, a student worker needs access to a business system, so a supplemental NetID is created that has access to that system. The student’s individual NetID is never granted access. When the student worker’s employment ends, the supplemental NetID is removed.
• Shared: Commonly referred to as a “departmental” NetID, a shared NetID is used for research, collaboration on group projects, and/or to expedite any academic or administrative work. A shared NetID may not be eligible for access to services normally restricted to individual NetIDs. Other restrictions and requirements may apply to shared NetIDs.
• Reserved: A NetID that is reserved for specific purposes, such as operating functionality, super-user privileged activities, or as an anonymous generic account for specific activities or services, such as cio@nd.edu. Other examples include “root,” “nobody,” or “system.” Reserved NetIDs should never be used as standard user IDs.
• Service: A NetID that allows an application to authenticate to services such as Kerberos, the Enterprise Directory, or Active Directory. For example, a service NetID is used to run the Microsoft SQL server database application, and is required because the database must access files on a network storage device. Credentials for a service ID must never be used to login interactively or exposed to confidentiality threats.
• Privileged (Administrator): Designed for specific system administrator functions, with access to very limited services.

3. Password Requirements

Password requirements for all NetIDs types, with the exception of Service and Privileged NetIDs, can be found in the the Strong Password Standard. Password requirements for Service and Privileged IDs can be found in the Privileged Account Standard.

4. Who Should Read These Standards

Individuals or departments of the University that are in a position to authorize access to University-owned information technology resources.

5. Reference Documents

• NetID Access to University Information Technology Resources (PDF)
• Immediate Computer Access Suspension Request
• Password Reset Procedures
• Responsible Use of Information Technology Resources
• Strong Password Standard
• Privileged Account Standard

6. Contacts

Policy Clarification

Information Security, OIT. Telephone (574) 631-3888, email to infosec@nd.edu

Account Creation

Help Desk, OIT. Telephone (574) 631-8111, email to oithelp@nd.edu.

7. Exceptions

Exceptions to these standards require the approval of the University’s Director of Information Security.