Visit the Student Information Security page and the information security training

On the Cyber security for students page you’ll find more information about information security, as well as a link to the MyCourses training package intended for all Aalto University students, regardless of their field of study. We strongly recommend that everyone complete the information security training.

Important information security reminders

• Do not use the same password that you use for your Aalto account in other services
• Do not trust the Sender field or attachments​ in email
• Check your URL before entering passwords​
• Always log out from your workstation when stepping out​ or lock if you are returning soon​
• Ensure the security of your own PC​
• USB memory sticks​ are easy to lose or break​ and can contain viruses
• Respect other users’ privacy​: email, files, passwords, sessions​
• Do not distribute personal data (for example, email addresses, student numbers) and confidential research/business data​​
• You are responsible for the activity on your account​
• Political and commercial activities are prohibited under the University's Usage Policy, except for student union activities
• Although most data in the information systems are backed up, you have the ultimately responsibility for backing up your own data

More information on the safe use of IT systems.

Information security at Aalto University ​

Below you can find a short instruction for activating your Aalto account. For more detailed instructions please see Activating an Aalto user ID.

• When you are accepted as a student to Aalto University a user ID will be automatically created for you.
• When the user ID has been created, you will receive an email with the subject 'Aalto University - Identity activation invitation'.
• You need Finnish banking credentials to activate your user ID.
• To activate the user ID visit https://password.aalto.fi. Also the link that you received in the email (https://access.aalto.fi) takes you to the same page.
• If you do not have Finnish banking credentials, please follow the instructions that you received in the email.

NOTE! Your account expires two (2) months after your right to study ends.​

After activating your Aalto ID you will have an Aalto username and password.

The password is the same in all Aalto services (email, workstations, wifi, etc.).

Password policy

• Your password must contain a minimum of 12 characters​
• Password maximum lifetime 730 days​
• Password minimum lifetime 24 hours​
• A password must contain both uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as numbers​
• Do not use Åäö or math marks​
• You can use the same password only once​

Changing your password 

Instructions for changing your password How to change the password.

Forgot your password?

If you forgot your password, you can set a new one at http://salasana.aalto.fi (banking credentils, mobile ID). You can also visit the IT Service Desk. When visiting the IT service desk, you must verify your identity. You can do so with a passport, a Finnish ID card, or a Finnish driver's license with a photo.

Change your password regularly, especially if you think it is no longer safe.

How to keep your password secure and avoid phishing 

Never tell anyone your password​

• IT Services personnel will never want or need your password​
• Your account is personal, not for sharing​

Try to remember​ your password

If you have to write it down, hide it and keep it away from your username​.

Phishing​

If you get an email from anywhere asking for your password, do not reply​

Instructions on reporting phishing attempts on aalto.fi: How to report a malicious or suspicious email 

More information on the Aalto password

Password guidelines

We use MFA in Aalto's services 

In the era of cyberattacks, a username and password alone are no longer sufficient for secure authentication, and your credentials need additional protection. At Aalto we use Multifactor Authentication (MFA, 2FA) to ensure that our information stays secure. MFA is a method of confirming a user’s identity with two or more pieces of evidence when signing on to a system or a service.a

Instructions for installing and using Microsoft Authenticator and MFA

Multifactor authentication

Important information

• Usually firstname.lastname@aalto.fi (sometimes middle initial)​
• Has the same Aalto password as other services​
• Official IT reminders (password expiring etc.) are sent to your Aalto address. Students can forward the emails to another email.​
• Spam filtering is in use.

Supported email clients and cloud email

• Aalto has several email clients in use: Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Outlook for iPhone and Android
• Microsoft 365 cloud email is availablet at http://outlook.office.com.

Read more in the Aalto cloud email: Cloud-email

Instructions and additional information

You can find all IT instructions on the IT Services' pages at http://aalto.fi/it. Here are links to a couple of useful instructions:

• Aalto email for your phone: instructions for iPhone and Android
• Email & calendar

Note

We recommend that you also have your own, private email address. Once you graduate, the Aalto email address is no longer available. 

Aalto students can use the Microsoft 365 services on their own devices. 

Microsoft 365 Services

You have access to the standard applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and the OneDrive cloud service, also own your own computer. You can use the apps with your Aalto credentials. 

We recommend Microsoft 365 services for teamwork and file sharing.

Our campus has three wireless networks

Aalto's virtual private network (VPN) links your laptop or mobile phone to an Aalto network. Read instructions on how to establish a remote connection: Establishing a remote connection (VPN) to an Aalto network.

Use the Aalto VPN for, for example:

• When working remotely.
• When searching for scientific articles.

Free printing for students

All students can print in black and white. School of Arts, Design and Architecture students can also print in colour. Read instructions for printing: Printing at Aalto University.

Scanners are available at the Candidate Centre hub or at the printing point on the 3rd floor.

Unigrafia's printing services, for pay

Unigrafia provides fee-based printing services for specialised printing needs.

Problems in printing or out of ink

1. Ask our building attendants for help OR
2. Email servicedesk@aalto.f, OR
3. Visit a campus IT Service Desk for assistance.

Computer classrooms on campus

You’ll find IT classrooms (Windows, Linux and Mac) in almost every building in Otaniemi. The IT classrooms and group work areas offer plenty of  workstations (Windows/Linux). Some departments also have their own IT classrooms. In addition, students can use the student hubs and group work rooms across the campus.

Booking and utilising the computer classrooms

• You can book free computers from the classrooms via https://booking.aalto.fi. The page also shows the software installed on the computers.
• The applications available depend on the classroom​, see the Aalto IT Windows Classroom Software List​ Wiki page for information, login as Aalto user. All workstations have basic software installed (Windows: MS Office, Firefox, etc. see Default applications on Windows workstations for more information)
• You may be asked to show your student card
• Also 24/7 classrooms with separate access cards​ available
• You can also use the Windows classroom computers remotely using the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) system: Remote access to Windows classroom computers.

Rooms for group work rooms and campus map

Aalto Space mobile application helps you to navigate campus. You an also book facilities for studying and group work with the application. 

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) allows you to use Aalto's virtual workstations and thus special programs offered by the university anywhere and anytime at: https://vdi.aalto.fi/.

Instructions

vdi.aalto.fi - How to use Aalto Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Software offered by Aalto

Some of the software that the university has acquired has licenses that allow their installation also to students' own computers. You can find all software that you can download at: https://download.aalto.fi/student/ 

More information

Softwares for staff and students home use

Teams

Microsoft Teams is an Aalto Office 365 application that enables efficient remote work and teamwork.

Cloud storage – OneDrive & Google Drive

Pilvipalvelut tarjoavat tallennustilaa ja mahdollisuuden jakaa ja muokata tiedostoja jopa suoraan selaimella. Cloud servies offer online storage space and the possibility to share and modify files directly from the browser. Read more at: OneDrive for Business and Google Drive.

Wiki.aalto.fi​

As a student, you can create your own workspaces for collaboration, information sharing and so on, and control the read, edit and admin rights for your workspace.

Ourblogs.aalto.fi​

As a student, you can write your own blogs or follow and comment on other people’s blogs.

Panopto

As a student, you can create and share video content at http://panopto.aalto.fi. Instructions for using Panopto: https://wiki.aalto.fi/display/OPIT/Panopto.

Aalto AI Assistant is Aalto's own, safe tool for artificial intelligence

• Aalto's own AI tool uses language models GPT 4o and GPT 5
• Aalto AI Assistant keeps your and Aalto's data secure.

You can use the Aalto AI Assistant at http://ai.aalto.fi. Multifactor authentication (MFA) is required.

Read more

Aalto AI Assistant

Home directory (Aalto Home) helps you in your studies

• Your home directory (Aalto Home) is automatically visible when you log on to a Windows workstation in a classroom​. It is also available on the Aalto Mac and Linux workstations.
• On IT Services' Linux servers (kosh.org.aalto.fi and lyta.aalto.fi) the home directory is visible via SFTP. 

Note

• Your files will be removed from the network drive after you graduate.​
• It is good to have the most important files (e.g. diploma work) stored in more than one place: we recommend and support OneDrive and Aalto Home. 

More information on file services and data storage

Data Storage, File Services

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Aalto Data Hub for research data

Aalto University’s Data Hub helps you find research data and promotes the reuse of costly datasets.

• Useful for both students and experienced researchers at different stages of the research process
• A data source directory brings together datasets, databases, providers, archives and other sources across the research fields of Aalto’s six schools
• Helps you discover new, previously unknown data sources
• Dedicated staff provide data support services and help you get started

Visit our webpages: https://datahub.aalto.fi/en

Browse our directory: https://datahub.aalto.fi/en/data-sources#/

Organise an exhibition at Aalto University

• Aalto University has multiple exhibition spaces across the Otaniemi campus and the curators welcome interest from students, staff and researchers in organising their own exhibitions and projects.

Read more on Jow to organise an exhibition at Aalto University