Penn State Webmail

Whether a user reaches the WebAccess login page directly or via a protected service, the process is the same. When users arrive at the WebAccess Authentication page, they will be presented with up to three log in fields:

User ID Enter your Penn State Access Account (or Friends of Penn State) user ID (e.g. xyz5000) Password Enter your Penn State Access Account (or Friends of Penn State) password Token (optional) If you see this field (and it is likely that you will not see this field), then the site you are trying to view requires a special security token. For more information about mainframe tokens, please see the information on mainframe tokens.

Session Time Limit

The system provides pre-set timeouts, which aid in minimizing the exposure of forgotten web browser sessions. If you have not visited any protected service or the WebAccess log in page within the last 6 hours, an idle timer will end your session thus requiring you to re-authenticate. In addition, the system has a maximum time limit of 15 hours.

Log out Information

In order to protect their respective digital identities, users are highly encouraged to log out from WebAccess when finished using a WebAccess-protected service. Each WebAccess-protected service should provide a log out link, or the WebAccess log out function on the services page may be used. Users also are encouraged, once log out is complete, to exit/quit the web browser completely for added security.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I tried to log in, but I see the services page. Why? I went to a WebAccess-protected page and I wasn't required to log in. Is there a security problem? No. You already authenticated via WebAccess and thus are enjoying the benefits of not needing to re-authenticate. Don't forget to log out once you are finished. I authenticated via WebAccess earlier, but the log in page appeared again. Why? The system provides pre-set timeouts, which aid in minimizing the exposure of forgotten browser sessions. If you have not visited any protected services or the WebAccess log in page within 6 hours, your session will end. In addition, the system has a maximum time limit of 15 hours. WebAccess and protected services keeps trying to set cookies. Why? The system used by WebAccess is based on session cookies. These session cookies (which are not saved when you exit the web browser) are used to identify you to WebAccess and each protected service. They do not contain any information about you. Who can I contact for assistance? If you're a user and experiencing problems with authentication, then please contact the ITS Service Desk staff at include the following: