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UToronto Online Security Tips

Jun 16, 2025

Overview

This page provides guidelines for securely accessing University of Toronto online services, handling login issues, and safely logging out to protect your account.

Account Protection Steps

  • Verify that the login URL begins with https://idpz.utorauth.utoronto.ca/ before entering credentials.
  • Always keep your password private and never share it.
  • Close all browser windows and exit the browser after using public computers.
  • U of T will never request your password or personal information by email.

Login Problems and Password Issues

  • If you know your password, use the UTORid Password Verification Page to confirm it.
  • Passwords are encrypted one-way; they cannot be retrieved or decrypted by U of T.
  • Forgotten passwords require creating a new password through a reset procedure.
  • Weak or old passwords may need to be updated to meet newer security requirements.
  • All authentication will eventually require stronger password rules.
  • Applicants with JOINid who get an "Authentication Failed" error should re-enable or reset their JOINid.

Logging Out Safely

  • U of T weblogin uses browser cookies to manage sessions; exiting the browser typically clears these cookies.
  • Some browsers (e.g., Chrome) may keep cookies after closing, so manually log out of all applications if needed.
  • To exit your browser, use close, exit, quit, or the "X" button.

Finding Help

Key Terms & Definitions

  • UTORid — your personal University of Toronto online identifier.
  • JOINid — identifier used by applicants to the University of Toronto.
  • One-way encryption — a method of storing passwords that allows verification but not retrieval or decryption.
  • Session cookies — temporary files in your browser used to manage login sessions.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Change your password if it is weak or old to meet new security requirements.
  • Visit the Information Commons Help Desk if you encounter login or technical problems.
  • Always check the login page URL before entering your credentials.
  • Manually log out of each web application if your browser retains cookies after closing.