University Credentials

Your university credentials are used to login to a variety of resources at Fitchburg State including the Login Portal, Blackboard, Course Scheduler, and Google Workspace. We highly recommend you change your password from the default password and keep the new password a secret.

Password Reset Instructions

Employees with University-Issued Computers
If you have a university-issued computer, the preferred way to change your password is using your Fitchburg State computer. Using other password changing methods will create conflicts.

  1. Browse to login.fitchburgstate.edu
  2. Login with your university credentials then select the Next button
    The login screen showing the location of the Next button.
  3. Select the Forgot my Password link
    The location of the Forgot my password link.
  4. If it's not already there, enter your Fitchburg State email address, enter the characters in the picture or words in the audio, then select Next
    The location where you enter the CAPTCHA text.
  5. On the next screen, select I Forgot my Password, then Next
    The location of "I forgot my password" and the Next button.
  6. You will have two options to choose from, depending on how you configured MFA when you set it up:
    1. Using your mobile phone
    2. Using your authenticator app
      The location of "Text my mobile phone".

      The location of "Enter a code from my authenticator app".
  7. Enter a new password, confirm your new password then select Finish.
    The new password screen.

 

 

 

  1. Login to https://login.fitchburgstate.edu using your current username and password and complete the Multi-Factor Authentication by following the prompts
  2. Click your account photo or initials in the top right and then click View account
  3. Click either:
    1. Security Info on the left-hand side OR
    2. Update Info on the center tile
  4. Click Change next to the password line
  5. Enter a new password in the New password and Confirm new password fields
  • Click the key icon in your menu bar (located in the top right of your screen)
  • Enter your current university credentials and click Sign in
  • Click the key icon again and select Change Password...
  • Enter your current Fitchburg State password in the Old Password field
  • Enter a new password in the New Password and Verify Password fields then click Change Password
  • You should see a Password Change Successful message. Click OK to dismiss the message

 

  1. Connect to the university network, either while on campus or remotely connected to the VPN
  2. Press Control- Alt-Delete
  3. Select Change a Password
  4. Enter your current Fitchburg State password in the Old Password field
  5. Enter a new password in the Create new password and Confirm new password fields
  6. Click Submit
  7. Intune (2023+ systems) will see a green screen - Right

Password Requirements

Please refer to our Password Policy (PDF) for password complexity requirements and other password information.

Tips for a Strong Password

  • Use a phrase with words you can remember
  • Make your password different than your social media passwords
  • Use a password that is longer than 12 characters
  • Check your password security using an online tool: https://www.security.org/how-secure-is-my-password/

Example: Dont-use-this-password!

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) 

You will need to configure MFA as part of your Fitchburg State Credentials. You can set up multiple options through the security info settings on the login portal.

Visit our MFA page for instructions and additional information.

If you lost your phone and don't have an alternative method configured you can reach out to the Help Desk for assistance.

PassKeys

Passkeys represent an exciting leap forward in how we sign in—offering simplicity, security, and a stress-free experience!

Imagine a world without the frustration of typing passwords or dealing with “forgot password” scenarios. With passkeys, you simply confirm your identity using your phone or device through facial recognition or a fingerprint.

Passkeys are phishing-resistant credentials that provide strong authentication and can serve as a multifactor authentication (MFA) method when combined with device biometrics or PIN. They follow FIDO2 standards, using WebAuthn for browsers and CTAP for authenticator communication. Each passkey is uniquely generated for each account by your device, and websites and apps can effortlessly create passkeys for you, making your next sign-in a breeze.  Passkeys are now considered the standard level of authentication when signing into a microsoft service. Thing you have mobile device, and something you are, face identification, fingerprint and or ID

Most devices and browsers now support passkeys. Fitchburg State uses Microsoft Entra ID for authentication and recommends users use Microsoft Authenticator to store their passkeys. You can also use Apple's iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager, or another password manager like Keeper or LastPass.

Instructions for storing passkeys in Microsoft Authenticator.

Types of passkeys

  • Device-bound passkeys: The private key is created and stored on a single physical device and never leaves it. Examples:
    • Microsoft Authenticator
    • FIDO2 Security keys
  • Synced passkeys: The private key is created by the hardware security module (HSM) and encrypted on the local device. This encrypted key is then synced and stored in the cloud passkey provider. Other devices authenticated with the passkey provider may then use the passkey. This may differ depending on the provider. Synced passkeys do not support attestation. Examples:
    • Apple iCloud Keychain
    • Google Password Manager

Additional Resources

  1. Start the login Process as you currently do. For most use cases, visit https://login.fitchburgstate.edu 
  2. Enter your Fitchburg State Username/Email and hit Next.
    Screenshot of login with passkey.
  3. You may be prompted to choose what type of Passkey you want to use. For this example, we select: use phone, tablet, or security key. This would be a device where you have Microsoft Authenticator installed.
    Screenshot of Microsoft passkey login.
  4. You will be prompted to scan a QR code with your device that has the Passkey on it. 
    Screenshot of Passkey QR code.
  5. Open the camera app on your device and scan the QR Code. On an iPhone tap the Sign in with passkey button at the bottom of the screen. 
    Screenshot of camera with QR code for Passkey.
  6. This will open up a prompt on your phone to confirm you want to use a passkey. The computer will show Connecting to your device. Select Use Passkey on your device (iPhone, table etc.). 
    Screenshot of prompt to confirm passkey.
  7. Once the device confirms the Passkey through Face ID, Touch ID, or PIN, it relays the unlock information to the computer and allows you to log in.

Here are some troubleshooting steps for common issues. 

Issue: I’m being signed in as a different user

Azure sign-ins use browser cookies to track your login session. You might need to open the application in an incognito window or clear your browser cache. This uses a different cache and should resolve the issue. You can also try using a different browser.

Issue: I get an error message that I don't have permission

Some applications have restrictions on who can access the application. Try the above steps to make sure you are using the correct user account. If you are still experiencing issues, you can reach out to the Help Desk, and we can figure out what permissions are needed.