Protecting Access to Privileged EXEC Commands
Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure encryption for enable and enable
secret passwords:
Command
Step 1
configure terminal
Step 2
enable password [level level] {password |
encryption-type encrypted-password}
or
enable secret [level level] {password |
encryption-type encrypted-password}
Step 3
service password-encryption
Step 4
end
Step 5
copy running-config startup-config
If both the enable and enable secret passwords are defined, users must enter the enable secret password.
Use the level keyword to define a password for a specific privilege level. After you specify the level and
set a password, give the password only to users who need to have access at this level. Use the privilege
level global configuration command to specify commands accessible at various levels. For more
information, see the
If you enable password encryption, it applies to all passwords including username passwords,
authentication key passwords, the privileged command password, and console and virtual terminal line
passwords.
To remove a password and level, use the no enable password [level level] or no enable secret [level
level] global configuration command. To disable password encryption, use the no service
password-encryption global configuration command.
Cisco IE 3000 Switch Software Configuration Guide
9-4
Purpose
Enter global configuration mode.
Define a new password or change an existing password for
access to privileged EXEC mode.
or
Define a secret password, which is saved using a
nonreversible encryption method.
•
•
•
Note
(Optional) Encrypt the password when the password is
defined or when the configuration is written.
Encryption prevents the password from being readable in the
configuration file.
Return to privileged EXEC mode.
(Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.
"Configuring Multiple Privilege Levels" section on page
Chapter 9
Configuring Switch-Based Authentication
(Optional) For level, the range is from 0 to 15. Level 1 is
normal user EXEC mode privileges. The default level is
15 (privileged EXEC mode privileges).
For password, specify a string from 1 to 25
alphanumeric characters. The string cannot start with a
number, is case sensitive, and allows spaces but ignores
leading spaces. By default, no password is defined.
(Optional) For encryption-type, only type 5, a Cisco
proprietary encryption algorithm, is available. If you
specify an encryption type, you must provide an
encrypted password—an encrypted password that you
copy from another switch configuration.
If you specify an encryption type and then enter a
clear text password, you can not re-enter privileged
EXEC mode. You cannot recover a lost encrypted
password by any method.
9-7.
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