Passowrd - User Self Service Resets?

[Dave Koontz <dkoontz () MBC EDU>]

We have been asked to explore and evaluate programs which provide users with
a "Self Service" password reset mechanism via a Web Page.  This is because
of an increasing number of our students who either forget their passowrds,
or set their browser to "remember" their password and don't have a clue what
it is when change time comes, causing more and more work for our helpdesk.

Has anyone written such a Web Program for allowing users to reset their own
passwords against a Windows 2003 AD Domain that they could share?  Retail
products seem to be extremely over-priced.  If you have found a reasonably
priced, well designed retail product please share any details.

Also, it has been suggested that the only information we need to collect
from a user via a web form to reset their account is the Network UserName,
College ID Number and the last 4 digits of their social security numbers.
This concerns me because all the information necessary to reset a password
is in a users wallet / purse, which of course could be lost.  Also, this
information is readily available to any of our faculty and staff via our
Administrative software.  Do anyone of you reset passwords with only this
data?

Would anyone be willing to share what they belive should be the MININIMUM
Data collection requirements?  And how do you force users to go though a
registration process to populate the Password Reset system?  I would like to
go to management with some 'from the field' reports of what others are
doing.

Thanks in Advance!

---
Dave Koontz
Associate Director, CIS
Mary Baldwin College
Staunton, VA

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