CCNA Certification Exam Training: Passwords, Cisco Routers, And Network Security

CCNA certification is important, and so is securingpassword 7 110D1609071A020217Pretty effective
our network's Cisco routers! To reflect theencryption! However, if we want to have the
importance of network security, your CCNAenable password automatically encrypted, we can
certification exam is likely going to contain quite ause the enable secret command. I'll use that
few questions about the various passwords youcommand here to set this password to "saints",
can set on a Cisco router. Let's take a look atand note that I'm not removing the previous
some of those passwords and when to applyenable password.R1(config)#enable secret
them.If the previous user has logged out of thesaintsAfter removing the "service
router properly, you will see a prompt like thispassword-encryption" command, we're left with
when you sit down at the router console:R1 con0two enable mode passwords, and they appear in
is now availablePress RETURN to getthe Cisco router config like this:enable password
started.R1>To get into enable mode, by default alldolphinsenable secret 5
I have to do is type "enable".R1>enableR1#See$1$kJB6$fPuVebg7uMnoj5KV4GUKI/If we have
how the prompt changed? By default, I can nowtwo enable passwords, which one should we use
run all the show and debug commands I want,to log into the router? Let's try the first
not to mention entering global configuration modepassword, "dolphins",
and doing pretty much what I want. It just mightfirst:R1>enablePassword:Password:When you're
be a good idea to password protect this mode!prompted for the password a second time, you
We do so with either the enable passwordknow you got it wrong the first time! Let's try
command or the enable secret command. Let's"saints":R1>enablePassword:Password:R1#When
use the enable password commandboth the enable secret and enable password
first.R1(config)#enable password dolphinsNowcommands are in use on a Cisco router, the
when I log out and then go back to enable modeenable secret password always takes precedence.
- or try to - I should be prompted for the"dolphins" didn't get us in, but "saints" did. That's
password "dolphins". Let's see whatvaluable information for both the CCNA
happens.R1>enablePassword:R1#I was indeedcertification exam and real-world networks,
prompted for a password. Cisco routers will notbecause there's no worse feeling than typing a
show asterisks or any other character when youpassword at a Cisco router prompt and then
enter a password; in fact, the cursor doesn'tgetting another password prompt!This is just one
even move.The problem with the enableway to perform basic Cisco router security with
password command is that the password willpasswords. We'll take a look at other methods in
show in the configuration in clear text, making ita future CCNA certification exam training
easy for someone to look over your shoulder andtutorial!Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of
note the password for future use, as shownThe Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free
below:hostname R1!enable password dolphinsWecertification exam tutorials, including Cisco CCNA
could use the "service password-encryption"certification test prep articles. His exclusive Cisco
command to encrypt the enable password, butCCNA study guide and Cisco CCNA training is also
that will also encrypt all the other passwords inavailable!Visit his blog and sign up for Cisco
the Cisco router config. That's not necessarily aCertification Central, a daily newsletter packed
bad thing! Here's the effect of this command onwith CCNA, Network+, Security+, A+, and CCNP
the enable password we set earlier.enablecertification exam practice questions!