Options In Enforcing Security In Cisco Routers
Cisco is the leader in routing and switching devices, but they aren’t without their problems. Routers need to be secured with several different configurations so as to best ensure a network is not vulnerable to outside attack. How to configure the Cisco router becomes the task, and with what commands is the problem.
The outdated version of the password protection routines is the enable password command. Enable password puts a password on the privileged mode of the Cisco router, although there are some large flaws with this command. First and foremost, the command is stored as clear text, which is a phrase that describes a password stored without encryption.
For those who favor encryption, and we all should, computer network technicians should instead opt for the enable secret command. Enable secret is a command introduced in more recent years for storing the password required to get into privileged mode in encryption. This encryption comes in handy in several cases, with notable benefit to be seen in the running configuration.
The enable secret command is the better password handling command, although enable password is still able to be used. Cisco router operating systems before version 10.3, the enable password is the only command that is able to be used. In such a case, it’s important for computer network technicians to upgrade to the latest IOS version for better security.
In the end, network administrators will receive much benefit from shielding the running configuration of a Cisco router from hackers and other malicious users. Even small bits of help here and there in network security can mean a large difference in how the network maintains itself in the long run, so be sure to upgrade to the latest IOS and make use of the new password command Cisco offers.
In Conclusion
Cisco routers aren’t a safety hazard by any means, but updating to the latest IOS version and taking advantage of newer commands such as “Enable secret” is the best bet in keeping the computer network up and running for months to come without hassle. For further information, consult Cicso articles and other Internet resources to learn how to actually go about the process of using Enable secret.
Tags: computer technology