Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science

Instance Manager for Kerberos Password Management

SCS Computing Facilities offers an interactive, Web-based tool for managing the SCS Kerberos instance. You can access the Instance Manager via the WebISO interface, using your SCS Kerberos ID and password. This procedure authenticates you and issues Kerberos tickets for the current session. Your current Kerberos password is required to access the Instance Manager, this makes it a viable alternative for changing the Kerberos password. Read below for guidance if you forget this password.

Changing your Kerberos Instance Password

  • Click on the Change Password link
  • Enter your current Kerberos password
  • Enter the new password and then re-enter it for verification
  • Click the Change Password button
  • The system will confirm that you have changed the password for the instance.

What to do if you forget your password

If you forget your main SCS Kerberos password, or your /root Kerberos instance password, you will need to have the SCS Help Desk reset it for you. You can request a password reset by SCS Help Desk staff by using one of the following methods:

Bring a photo ID to the Computer Science Help Desk in GHC 4203 during operating hours. A consultant will verify your identity and reset your password. Acceptable forms of ID are:

  • A Carnegie Mellon ID card
  • A State issued driver's license or identification card
  • A passport (US or foreign)

Faculty, Students and Staff Members can contact their account sponsor and have that person verify their identity and request a password reset. If you do not know who your sponsor is, submit a ticket and the Help Desk can direct you to the appropriate person.

If you are unable to visit the Help Desk, please contact us and we will schedule a video conference session to perform the password reset. Please have the following:

  • Valid photo ID

Let us know which Video Conferencing platform you prefer (Zoom, Apple Face Time, Google Hangouts or Microsoft Skype). We suggest contacting us from a noise-free, private space in which to communicate securely the pertinent account information and temporary password. Also have a computer with access to the internet to facilitate the initial login and test the reset was successful.