The Cybersafe at USPS® team recommends employees change their password into a passphrase, which is more secure for protecting accounts.
A passphrase is a unique set of letters, symbols, and numbers (along with your login ID) that grants access to your USPS® devices and accounts. Using a unique, complex, and familiar phrase will make it easier to remember your account credentials while making it more difficult for hackers to steal information.
To create a passphrase, start with a song lyric, poem, or phrase that is easy to remember. For example, “Be Cybersafe.” Next, swap letters for special characters and numbers to add complexity. Then, add a unique identifier to further differentiate your passphrase across accounts. The final passphrase for work would look something like this: B3_Cyb3rs*f3_w0^k.
Passphrases can be unique and personalized, but must still follow the requirements stated in Handbook AS-805, Information Security, section 9-6.1:
n Minimum of 15 characters.
n Uses three of the four character types:
n One uppercase letter,
n One lowercase letter,
n One numeral, or
n One special character (e.g., &, $, and @).
Keep your passphrase in a secure location. Don’t reuse passphrases across accounts, and never share them with anyone, as doing so is a violation of security policy. Users must change their passphrase every 90 days or if they suspect their passphrase has been compromised.
If you think your passphrase has been compromised, call the Cybersecurity Operations Center at 866-877-7247 or send an email to CyberSafe@usps.gov. For general cybersecurity information, visit the CyberSafe at USPS websites on Blue (blue.usps.gov/cyber) and LiteBlue (lite-blue.usps.gov/cyber).
— Corporate Information Security Office,
Chief Information Security Officer
and Digital Solutions, 4-23-20
