How to pass credentials to client

Question

When installing application on client's server at the end of the project, how to give admin's password to client? (On paper, by word?) Client may not be very technical so script generating password could be to hard for him.

And should I keep other/same admin credentials for myself for later support?

Answer 1

I would consider giving a temporary password which the admin must change after logging in the first time. Also you need to ensure that this temporary password will be used only by the admin.

This way you would avoid possible breaches and also possible costs of sending the password via post.

Answer 2

Really you should get them to type in the password as part of an install script.

If not possible and assuming you are off site, I would do a screen share where:

• You remote to the machine and login
• Hand control to Customer on site
• Customer changes password without telling you what it is.
• Get Customer to log off and on again to confirm it works.

Assuming

• you are a good actor,
• your connection is secure,
• the passwords are starred out on the screen
• and you verify the customer is the customer

Then the new password hasn't been sent across the internet and you have confirmed the removal of the old password

Answer 3

Depending on how paranoid you are about the password going astray, email might not be secure enough. Its often not possible to make any guarantees about how the email is secured in transit. Instant messaging solutions (Skype etc.) encrypt traffic, so often present a safer option.

An alternative might be 'dropbox' (the concept, not the company) type services, that provide a one shot download of a file (https://send.firefox.com/, for example).

I wouldnt keep hold of the password after youve sent it (indeed, depending on your business area, this might be dictated by regulations), but add password reset functionality to the system.