eAuthentication Registration and ID's

Questions relating to Customer Account Creation


Q. Who can use eAuthentication?

A. Any public customer who would like to draw a proposed service area can establish an eAuthentication account on this Web site.

Q. I signed up for a Level 1 eAuthentication account. What is my next required step?

A. Look for an email and follow the directions in the Confirmation email you received at the email address provided in your profile.

Q. How long do I have to respond to the Confirmation email?

A. You have a maximum of seven (7) days to respond to the Confirmation email, or your account will be deleted. You can respond by using the link provided in the Confirmation email.

Q. It's after the seven (7) day period and I didn't respond in time. What now?

A. After seven (7) days the account you created was deleted. You must start the entire process over to create a new eAuthentication account. You will need to use a new User ID. You cannot use your previously selected User ID. You must follow the instructions on your confirmation email within the required seven (7) day time frame.

Q. If my account is deleted because I didn't respond within the seven (7) day limit, can I use the same User ID?

A. No, that User ID cannot be used again. You must create a new unique User ID.
 

Q. The Customer Profile won't
accept the User ID I have created. Why?

 



A. The User ID is already in use by someone
else. Since User IDs are required to be
unique, you can not use the same one.

 

Q. I don't see a confirmation
email, but I am within the seven (7) day
window.
 


A. It is common that anti-spam software in
your email software or at your email servers
can interfere with the confirmation email
message to you. Look in folders other than
your "Inbox" such as "SPAM", "Junk Mail",
"Bulk", or "Suspected SPAM". In addition,
some Internet Service Providers include a
service that captures suspected SPAM and
maintains these files outside of your
individual email account.
 

If after 24 hours you do not receive the confirmation
email:
 

1. Turn off your email provider's filters.




2. Turn off your personal email filter
settings.


3. If it has been more than one day since
the account was created and you have
searched, but can't find the confirmation
email, then be sure that you don't have any
filters, forwarding, or anti-spam measures
that might affect your incoming mail. Once
you've completed that, then create a new
account and be ready to respond to the
confirmation email. Be advised that you will
not be able to use the same User ID.

Q. I never found my first
confirmation email, so as you suggested, I
turned off my anti-spam and filters and
created another account. It's been a day and
still no confirmation email. What now?

 

A. Email the


eAuthHelpDesk@ftc.usda.gov
and explain the situation in detail. Provide
your first and last names and the User ID
for any accounts you created. Since you now
have multiple accounts, please identify the
single account that you wish to use and
authorize the Help Desk to disable the
others.

Q. I can't get the link in the
Confirmation email to work. What now?
 

A. At the bottom of the Confirmation email
is long string of alphabetic and numeric
characters. Copy and paste the entire string
of characters into the address window of
your browser and press the Enter key.
 

Q. I couldn't get either the link
in the Confirmation email or the long string
technique to work. What now?
 

A. We suggest you forward the entire
Confirmation email you received to the ITS
Service Desk for troubleshooting at

eAuthHelpDesk@ftc.usda.gov. Please include your
User ID and the date you attempted to
confirm your email.

Q. I signed up for an account
with Level 1 access and confirmed my email
address. What now?
 

A. Your account is ready to use!

 

 

 


Questions relating to your password or User ID

 

Q. I have an account with Level 1
access. I've forgotten my password. How do I
obtain a password reset?
 

A. Please follow the steps below to reset
your forgotten password:



      1. Go to link :
eAuthentication home page

      2. Click on Update your account
in the Quick Links box.

      3. Click the I Agree button on
the warning page

      4. Below the Password field,
click on the Forgot your Password?
link

      5. Follow the steps to reset your
forgotten password.



For more information, please review the

Reset My Forgotten Password User Guide -
Level 1 Account User Guide.



Please contact the ITS Service Desk at

eAuthHelpDesk@ftc.usda.gov or call
800-457-3642 for further assistance. Include
your User ID, First name, Last name, and
email address.

 

Q. I cannot remember my User ID.
How can I recover it?
 

A. Please follow the steps below to recover
your User ID:



      1. Go to link :

eAuthentication home page

      2. Click on Update your account
in the Quick Links box.

      3. Click the I Agree button on
the warning page

      4. Below the User ID field,
click on the Forgot your User ID?
link

      5. Follow the steps to retrieve your
forgotten User ID.



For more information, please review the

Retrieve My Forgotten User ID User Guide.



Please contact the ITS Service Desk at

eAuthHelpDesk@ftc.usda.gov or call
800-457-3642 for further assistance.

 

Q. What are the "Reset My
Forgotten Password" feature and the new
"Retrieve My Forgotten User ID" feature?

 

A. We have developed a new process to make
it easier for you to reset your forgotten
password and retrieve your forgotten User
ID. The new process to reset your password
utilizes questions that you may select, and
which only you know the answers to. The new
process for retrieving your User ID will
allow you to go online and follow the simple
steps for getting your User ID without the
assistance of the Help Desk. An email will
be sent to your email address on record.



The following are components of the new
features:


  • New security questions that make it
    easier for you to retrieve your
    password.

  • Online functionality for you to retrieve
    your User ID.


  • Enhanced Security

Read the following documentation and walk through the
steps for resetting your password and
retrieving your User ID:

Please contact the ITS Service Desk at

eAuthHelpDesk@ftc.usda.gov or call
800-457-3642 for further assistance.

 

Q. How will the "Reset My
Forgotten Password" feature and the new
"Retrieve My Forgotten User ID" feature
affect me?
 

A. The eAuthentication system will
eventually prompt you to select your choice
of security questions, and to provide
answers to them. This is a quick and easy
process that increases security for all
eAuthentication accounts, and only takes
about ten minutes of your time.
 

Q. Why am I being prompted to
answer new security questions when logging
into my eAuthentication account?
 

A. To ensure a higher level of security for
your account information, the
eAuthentication team is redesigning the
"Reset My Forgotten Password" components of
the eAuthentication system. You will be
prompted to do this only once. Thereafter,
the system will provide you with
opportunities to update this information if
you wish to do so. Please choose and answer
six (6) security questions from the list of
questions provided. Continue through the
steps to the completion page.

 

Q. Why does the eAuthentication
system require such complicated passwords?
 

A. eAuthentication protects web sites that
involve submitting personal and private
information as well as financial
transactions via the Internet.
eAuthentication security standards are
consistent with those established by the
National Institutes for Standards and
Technology (NIST), which determines the
standards for the Federal Government.

 

Q. Why is the complexity of my
password important to Protecting Privacy?

 

A. The eAuthentication Service enables
customers to confidently share data and
conduct official business transactions with
electronically via the Internet.

Q. What are the criteria and rules
governing passwords within the eAuthentication system?
 

A. Please create a password that you will
remember. Your password is case sensitive.




All passwords in eAuthentication (for Level
1 and Level 2 accounts) must adhere to the
following criteria: Required
Characters


  • 9 to 12 characters long

  • Have one uppercase letter (A, B, C,
    etc.)

  • Have one lowercase letter (a, b, c,
    etc.)


  • Atleast 1 of these characters:

         0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

         ! # $ % = + : ; , ? ~ * -


Restricted Information (Do Not Use)

  • Dictionary Words


  • Profile Information

         Mother's Maiden Name, Date of
    Birth, PIN, Your Name, Address, Phone
    Number,

         Email, etc.

  • Your password will expire after 180
    days.

Questions relating to Web Browsers

Q.

What kind
of browser do you recommend using?

 

A. It is
recommended that you use either Internet
Explorer or Netscape. Internet Explorer
should be 5.5 or higher; Netscape should be
7.01 or higher. Also, it is recommended that
you use a browser that supports 128-bit
encryption, accepts cookies, and is
Javascript enabled.

For further
information about your program and/or
download instructions, please access the
following sites:

For Internet
Explorer -


http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.aspx

For Netscape -


http://browser.netscape.com/releases

 

Q.
I use
America On Line (AOL) and I am still having
trouble. What should I do?
 

A. If you are using an AOL browser and/or
email client, please follow the steps
provided below:


  • Connect to the AOL Program.


  • Once connected, minimize your AOL
    browser window.

  • Open a new Internet Explorer or Netscape
    window.

  • Validate that you are running a
    compatible version of the software.

  • Click on the �Help� button from the menu
    bar.

  • Select the �About� feature for your
    program from the drop down menu.


  • Review the dialog box that will display
    the version of the software that you are
    currently running.

  • If you are running an out dated version
    of the software, install new a version
    of Internet Explorer or Netscape as
    applicable.

Q.
I
useWebTV and I am having trouble. What
should I do?
 

A. If you are using WebTV, please note that
this is not compatible with many sites.
Thus, we do not provide support when it is
used. Please use an alternate program (e.g.
Internet Explorer, Netscape.)
 

Q.

Can I access applications using a wireless
device and what kinds of devices are
supported?
 

A. It is possible to access some
applications that are protected by the
eAuthentication system using wireless
devices. This type of access is not formally
supported by the eAuthentication system
using wireless devices. However, it is
possible to login to the system using
wireless devices that have Internet browser
with JavaScript support. For example, some
Black Berry devices using the Black Berry
web browser or Internet browser can login to
the system when JavaScript support is
enabled for the browser.
 

Q.


What kind of Black Berry device browsers do
you recommend using?
 

A. Black Berry and Internet browsers.

 

Q.
I
get a JavaScript error message when trying
to login to an application protected by
eAuthentication using a Black Berry wireless
device. What can be done?
 

A. The eAuthentication system does not
formally support wireless devices. A
JavaScript error may be displayed when you
scroll to and click the "Login" button on
the eAuthentication page. You can use the
following work around. Browse to the
eAuthentication login page and type in your
user ID and password in the fields provided.
After you have typed in your password, do
not scroll down to the Login button. If you
have typed in your password, do not scroll
down to the Login button. If you have moved
to the Login button, scroll backward to
place the browser cursor focus to the
password field. With the cursor still on the
Password field, use the keypad of the device
and press the Enter key.