> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.openiam.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.openiam.com/end-user-guide-for-selfservice/signing-in/security-questions.md).

# Setting your security questions

Set and update the personal questions that let you reset your own password.

Security questions are personal questions and answers you choose in advance. When you later forget your password, answering them proves it is you — so you can reset it yourself instead of waiting for the help desk.

Some screens label this **Challenge Response**.

## Setting them up

Go to your account menu → **Profile → Challenge Response**.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Choose a question from each list.**

Your organization decides which questions are offered, and how many you must answer — commonly three to five.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Type your answer to each one.**

Answers are stored securely and are not visible to anyone afterwards, including the help desk.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Save.**

You see *"Responses saved successfully."* You can come back and change them whenever you like.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Rules the page enforces

| Message you might see                                                             | What it means                                             |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| *"Select a question"*                                                             | One of the question boxes is still empty.                 |
| *"Answer the question(s)"* or *"You did not answer one of the questions"*         | Every question you picked needs an answer.                |
| *"One of the selected questions is a duplicate. Please select unique questions."* | You chose the same question twice — pick a different one. |
| *"Answer provided is too long"*                                                   | Shorten the answer.                                       |

## Choosing good answers

The point of these questions is that only you know the answer — so treat them like a second password.

* **Pick questions with one fixed answer.** "The street I grew up on" has one answer forever; "my favourite film" changes.
* **Avoid anything findable online.** Your first school, your pet's name, or your birthplace may be on social media.
* **Be consistent about format.** If you answer *St. Anne's*, you must type it the same way later — decide now whether you use punctuation and capitals.
* **They are not case-sensitive by default**, but spelling and spacing matter.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Answering wrongly too many times locks your account on purpose: *"Account is locked. There were too many wrong attempts to answer Security Questions."* At that point only your help desk can let you back in — so set answers you will genuinely remember.
{% endhint %}

## Why it's worth doing now

If you never set these, the self-service password reset may be unavailable to you. When you try it you will see *"Answer your challenge questions before using this feature"* — which is an awkward message to meet at the exact moment you are locked out.

Five minutes now saves a support call later.


---

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