MIT Atlas is the central authentication system used by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to manage user accounts and access to various online resources.
It is a single sign-on (SSO) system that allows users to log in once and access multiple services without having to enter their login credentials repeatedly.
MIT Atlas uses the Kerberos protocol, a network authentication protocol designed to provide secure authentication over insecure networks. It also supports the use of Duo two-factor authentication for added security.
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The service is available to current students, faculty, staff, and affiliates of MIT, and can be accessed through the link you provided.
Table of Contents
- How to log into MIT Atlas
- MIT Kerberos
- How to log into MIT Kerberos
- How to Activate your MIT Kerberos Account
- MIT Kerberos change password
- MIT Kerberos Duo
- MIT Touchstone login
- MIT ID number lookup
- MIT email login
- MIT Athena login
- Conclusion
How to log into MIT Atlas
To log into the MIT Atlas Service Center, you can follow these steps:
- Go to the MIT Atlas login page at atlas.mit.edu.
- Enter your MIT username and password in the respective fields. Your MIT username is typically your Kerberos username, which is the first part of your MIT email address before the “@mit.edu” domain.
- If you have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled for your MIT account, you will be prompted to complete the 2FA process.
- Once you have entered your credentials and completed the 2FA process (if applicable), click on the “Sign In” button to log in to the MIT Atlas Service Center.
MIT Kerberos
MIT Kerberos is a network authentication protocol that is used to verify the identities of users and services in a distributed computing environment. It was developed by MIT in the 1980s and has since become a widely adopted standard for network authentication.
The Kerberos protocol uses a central authentication server (known as the Kerberos Key Distribution Center, or KDC) to generate and distribute “tickets” that are used to authenticate users and services.
When a user or service requests access to a network resource, the KDC generates a ticket that includes the user’s identity and credentials. This ticket is then encrypted and sent to the user or service, who can use it to prove their identity and gain access to the requested resource.
MIT Kerberos is used extensively within the MIT community for network authentication and access control. It is also used by many other organizations and institutions around the world, and is a key component of many enterprise-level network security systems.
How to log into MIT Kerberos
Your MIT Kerberos account (sometimes called an Athena/MIT/email account) is your online identity at MIT. Once you set up your account, you will be able to access your MIT email, educational technology discounts, your records, printing services, and much more.
When you register for an account on MIT’s Athena system, you create your MIT Kerberos identity.
To register, staff and faculty need only supply their MIT ID number. Incoming undergraduates will have an account registration link from their my.mit.edu portal.
Incoming graduate students will receive an email with a unique link to register for their account a few days after confirming they intend to attend MIT. Freshmen will register via a link from my.mit.edu which becomes available in May.
Students who have misplaced their email or never received it, can contact accounts@mit.edu User Accounts if you need to register for your Kerberos identity before arriving on campus.
Only students need an unique link to register. All others who are eligible for an Athena account need only their MIT ID.
To log in using MIT Kerberos authentication, you will need to have an MIT Kerberos username and password. If you are a member of the MIT community, you should have been issued a Kerberos username and password when you joined the Institute.
To log in using MIT Kerberos, follow these steps:
- Go to the login page of the resource or service you want to access. Make sure that the resource or service supports MIT Kerberos authentication.
- Enter your MIT Kerberos username and password in the login fields. Your Kerberos username is typically the first part of your MIT email address before the “@mit.edu” domain.
- If the resource or service requires two-factor authentication (2FA), you will be prompted to complete the 2FA process.
- Once you have entered your credentials and completed the 2FA process (if applicable), click on the “Log In” or “Sign In” button to log in to the resource or service.
How to Activate your MIT Kerberos Account
If you are an MIT affiliate and have been issued an MIT Kerberos account but have not yet activated it, you can activate it by following these steps:
- Go to the MIT Kerberos Account Activation page at https://accounts.mit.edu/kerberos.
- Enter your MIT ID number in the “MIT ID Number” field. Your MIT ID number is a nine-digit number that is assigned to you by MIT.
- Enter your date of birth in the “Date of Birth” field. Make sure to use the format MM/DD/YYYY.
- Click on the “Submit” button to proceed.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to verify your identity and create a new Kerberos password.
- Once you have completed the activation process, you should be able to use your MIT Kerberos account to log in to various MIT resources and services that require Kerberos authentication.
An MIT Kerberos account username must be 3-8 characters long, containing only lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores. It cannot start with a number.
A good username readily identifies you; usually an abbreviated form of your real name is best.
For example, it is customary to use your first and middle initials, and as much of your last name as will fit (thus, William Jefferson Clinton might use wjclinto or wclinton).
Pick a username you can live with – you will have to use this name for as long as you have an account at MIT.
If you encounter any issues during the account activation process, you can contact the MIT Information Systems and Technology (IS&T) Help Desk for assistance.
MIT Kerberos change password
It’s a good practice to change your Kerberos password regularly to maintain the security of your MIT account. To change your Kerberos password, follow these steps:
- Go to the MIT Kerberos Change Password page at https://changepassword.mit.edu/
- Enter your current Kerberos password in the appropriate field.
- Enter your new password in the appropriate fields, following the guidelines for creating a strong password.
- Click the “Change Password” button.
A Kerberos password must be at least 6 characters long, and can contain any combination of characters that appear on the computer keyboard.
It must contain at least two types of characters (such as letters and numbers, or upper and lower-case letters, or letters and punctuation marks). Choose something that’s easy for you to remember, but hard for others to guess.
MIT Kerberos Duo
Duo is a two-factor authentication service used by MIT to provide an additional layer of security to the MIT Kerberos login process. When you log in with Kerberos and Duo, you will be asked to provide a second form of authentication, such as a mobile device or a hardware token.
To set up Duo for your MIT Kerberos account, you will need to follow these steps:
- Go to the Duo enrollment page at https://duo.mit.edu/
- Log in with your MIT Kerberos username and password.
- Follow the instructions to enroll a second device, such as a mobile phone or hardware token, in the Duo service.
- Once enrolled, you will be prompted to use Duo to authenticate whenever you log in with Kerberos.
MIT Touchstone login
Some MIT resources, such as the MIT Medical patient portal, use the Touchstone authentication system instead of MIT Kerberos. Here’s how to log in with Touchstone:
- Go to the MIT Atlas login page at https://atlas.mit.edu/
- Click the “Log In” button under “Touchstone Login.”
- Enter your Touchstone username and password.
- Click the “Log In” button to access the resource.
If you don’t have a Touchstone account, you can create one using the “New User” link on the Touchstone login page.
MIT ID number lookup
Your MIT ID number is a unique identifier assigned to you by the university. You will need it to access many MIT resources, including your MIT email account. Here’s how to look up your MIT ID number:
- Go to the MIT ID Card Services website at https://idcard.mit.edu/
- Click the “Find Your MIT ID Number” link.
- Follow the instructions to verify your identity and retrieve your MIT ID number.
MIT email login
MIT provides email accounts to all students, faculty, and staff. To access your MIT email account, you will need to log in with your MIT Kerberos username and password. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the MIT email login page at https://outlook.office365.com/owa/mit.edu/
- Enter your full MIT email address (e.g., username@mit.edu) in the “Email or phone” field.
- Enter your MIT Kerberos password in the “Password” field.
- Click the “Sign In” button to access your MIT email account.
MIT Athena login
MIT Athena is a computing environment that provides access to a wide range of software and tools for academic and research purposes. To access Athena, you will need to log in with your MIT Kerberos username and password. Here’s how to do it:
- Open a terminal or command prompt on your computer.
- Enter the command “ssh your_username@athena.dialup.mit.edu” (replace “your_username” with your actual MIT Kerberos username).
- Enter your MIT Kerberos password when prompted.
- You should now be connected to the Athena computing environment.
Conclusion
MIT Atlas is a critical tool for managing your MIT accounts and accessing online resources. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to log in to MIT Atlas, change your password, activate your account, and access various MIT services with ease.
Remember to keep your login credentials secure and follow best practices for online security to protect your personal information and maintain the integrity of the MIT network.
