Secure Reversible Passwords for AAA

The Secure Reversible Passwords for AAA feature enables secure reversible encryption for authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) configurations using type 6 advanced encryption scheme (AES) passwords.

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest caveats and feature information, see Bug Search Tool and the release notes for your platform and software release. To find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each feature is supported, see the feature information table.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Prerequisites for Secure Reversible Passwords for AAA

The following commands should be enabled for the type 6 password encryption:

  • password encryption aes

  • key config-key password-encrypt [password]

  • aaa new-model

Information About Secure Reversible Passwords for AAA

Secure Reversible Passwords

Passwords in Cisco IOS configurations require a secure storage so that the key for the reversible encryption can be stored to ensure that authentication methods can access the user credentials whenever required.

Reversible encryption is the process by which a password is encrypted with a reversible, symmetric encryption algorithm. To check if the password entered by the user is valid, the password is decrypted and compared to the user-input password. To perform this encryption, the symmetric encryption algorithm requires a key.

The type 6 advanced encryption scheme (AES) encrypted passwords help to secure the reversible passwords for authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) features. This type 6 encryption key is stored in a private NVRAM and secured.

AAA network configurations use Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), RADIUS, or TACACS+ server hosts. Use the radius server host , tacacs-server host , and ldap server commands to configure RADIUS, TACACS+, or LDAP host servers respectively.

Type 6 Encryption Configuration

The following commands have been updated with the type 6 keyword to enable secure reversible passwords to configure authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) features. For more information about the security commands, see the Cisco IOS Security Command Reference. For more information about AAA configuration, see the Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting Configuration Guide.
  • aaa configuration

    • aaa configuration {config-username username username [password [0 | 7 ] password ] | {pool | route } username username [password [0 | 6 | 7 ] password }

  • bind authenticate root-dn (config-ldap-server)

    • bind authenticate root-dn username password {0 string | 6 string | 7 string} string

  • client (config-locsvr-da-radius)

    • client ip-address server-key [0 | 6 | 7] word

  • key (config-radius-server)

    • key {0 string | 6 string | 7 string} string

  • key (config-server-tacacs)

    • key {0 string | 6 string | 7 string} string

  • pac key (config-radius-server)

    • pac key {0 string | 6 string | 7 string} string

  • password (config-filter)

    • password [0 | 6 | 7] password

  • server-private (RADIUS)

    • server-private ip-address [auth-port port-number | acct-port port-number ] [non-standard ] [timeout seconds ] [retransmit retries ] [key [0 | 6 | 7] string ]

  • server-private (TACACS+)

    • server-private {ip-address | name | ipv6-address} [nat ] [single-connection ] [port port-number ] [timeout seconds ] [key [0 | 6 | 7] string ]

  • tacacs-server host

    • tacacs-server host {host-name | host-ip-address} [key {0 string | 6 string | 7 string} string ] [[nat ] [port [integer] ] [single-connection ] [timeout [integer] ]]

  • tacacas-server key

    • tacacs-server key {0 string | 6 string | 7 string} string


Note

We recommend to use type 6 to reduce the vulnerability of a malicious attack against password integrity. When the AAA commands that support type 6 are configured with either type 0 or type 7 encryption option, warning messages are displayed.


Additional References for Secure Reversible Passwords for AAA

Related Documents

Related Topic

Document Title

Cisco IOS commands

Cisco IOS Master Command List, All Releases

Security commands

AAA configuration

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting Configuration Guide

Technical Assistance

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Feature Information for Secure Reversible Passwords for AAA

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.
Table 1. Feature Information for Secure Reversible Passwords for AAA

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

Secure Reversible Passwords for AAA

15.4(1)T

The Secure Reversible Passwords for AAA feature enables secure reversible encryption for authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) configurations using type 6 advanced encryption scheme (AES) passwords.

The following commands were introduced or modified: aaa configuration , bind authenticate root-dn (config-ldap-server) , client (config-locsvr-da-radius) , key (config-radius-server) , key (config-server-tacacs) , pac key (config-radius-server) , password (config-filter) , server-private (RADIUS) , server-private (TACACS+) , tacacs-server host , and tacacas-server key .