Cisco Password Types: Best Practices

U/OO/114249-22 | PP-22-0178 | FEB 2022 Ver. 1.0

National Security Agency | Cybersecurity Information Sheet

Three years ago, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released an alert on how

cyber adversaries obtained hashed password values and other sensitive information

from network infrastructure configuration files. Once the hashes were obtained, the

adversaries were able to compromise network devices. That alert showed the results of

what happens when cyber adversaries compromise device configurations that have

insecure, reversible hashes: they are able

to extract sensitive information and

compromise networks [1].

The rise in the number of compromises of

network infrastructures in recent years is a

reminder that authentication to network

devices is an important consideration.

Network devices could be compromised due to:

 Poor password choice (vulnerable to brute force password spraying),

 Router configuration files (which contain hashed passwords) sent via

unencrypted email, or

 Reused passwords (where passwords recovered from a compromised device

can then be used to compromise other devices).

Using passwords by themselves increases the risk of device exploitation. While

NSA

strongly recommends multi-factor authentication for administrators managing

critical devices

sometimes passwords alone must be used. Choosing good password

storage algorithms can make exploitation much more difficult.

Cisco

devices offer a variety of different password hashing and encryption schemes to

secure passwords stored in configuration files. Cisco systems come in a variety of

platforms and are widely used within many infrastructure networks worldwide. Cisco

networking devices are configured to propagate network traffic among various subnets.

They also protect network information that flows into these subnets. The devices

contain a plaintext configuration file that is loaded after the Cisco operating system

boots. The configuration file:

NSA recommends using:

 Multi-factor authentication when

feasible

 Type 8 for passwords

 Type 6 for VPN keys

 Strong, unique passwords

 Privilege levels for least privilege

U/OO/114249-22 | PP-22-0178 | FEB 2022 Ver. 1.0

NSA | Cisco Password Types: Best Practices

 Contains specific settings that control the behavior of the Cisco device,

 Determines how to direct traffic within a network, and

 Stores pre-shared keys and user authentication information.

To protect this sensitive data, Cisco devices can use hashing or encryption algorithms

to secure this information, but only if they are properly configured to do so.

Hashing is a one-way algorithm. It produces output that is difficult to reverse back to the

original string. A random salt is often added to a password prior to hashing, making it

difficult to use precomputed hashes to reverse the password. If the salted hash of a

strong password (i.e., one that is both long and complex, making it hard for a computer

to guess) is captured by a malicious actor, that hash should be of little use since the

actor could not recover the actual password.

Encryption is an algorithm that uses a key to produce output that is difficult to reverse

back to the original plaintext string without a key. The encryption is either symmetric,

which uses the same key for encryption and decryption, or asymmetric, which uses a

public key for encryption and a corresponding private key for decryption back to the

original string. Cisco Type 6 passwords, for example, allow for secure, encrypted

storage of plaintext passwords on the device.

When configuration files are not properly protected, Cisco devices that are configured to

use a weak password protection algorithm do not adequately secure the credentials.

This can lead to compromised devices, and potentially to compromised entire networks.

Severity of the vulnerability

Hashed or encrypted forms of passwords can be stored in configuration files for

authentication purposes to protect the plaintext password. When the configuration file

displays on the Command Line Interface, or if it is copied from the device, the user sees

the protected form of the password with a number next to it. The number indicates the

type of algorithm used to secure the password. The password protection types for Cisco

devices are 0, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

For an overview of the Cisco password types, the following table lists them, their

difficulty to crack and recover the plaintext password, their vulnerability severity, and

U/OO/114249-22 | PP-22-0178 | FEB 2022 Ver. 1.0

NSA | Cisco Password Types: Best Practices

NSA’s recommendations for use. For details on each password type, refer to the

following sections:

Table: Cisco password types

Password type

Ability to crack

Vulnerability severity

NSA recommendation

Type 0

Immediate

Critical

Do not use

Type 4

Easy

Critical

Do not use

Type 5

Medium

Not NIST approved, use only when Types 6,

8, and 9 are not available

Type 6

Difficult

Low

Use only when reversible encryption is

needed, or when Type 8 is not available

Type 7

Immediate

Critical

Do not use

Type 8

Difficult

Low

Recommended

Type 9

Difficult

Low

Not NIST approved

Password types

Type 0

DO NOT USE

: Passwords are

NOT

encrypted or hashed. They are stored in plaintext

within the configuration file.

NSA strongly recommends against using Type 0

Example of a Type 0 password shown in a Cisco configuration:

username bob password 0 P@ssw0rd

Type 4

DO NOT USE

: Introduced around 2013, it uses the Password-Based Key Derivation

Function version 2 (PBKDF2) and was originally added to reduce the vulnerability to

brute force attempts. However, due to an implementation issue, the Type 4 algorithm

only performs a single iteration of SHA-256 (without a salt) over the provided plaintext

password, making it weaker than Type 5 and less resistant to brute force attempts. The

passwords are stored as hashes within the configuration file. Type 4 was deprecated

starting with Cisco operating systems developed after 2013.

NSA strongly

recommends against using Type 4.

Example of a Type 4 password shown in a Cisco configuration:

username bob secret 4 g1rTD89b38NIXbGJse.zLc7Cega1TBTlKQNvYDh9Qo6

U/OO/114249-22 | PP-22-0178 | FEB 2022 Ver. 1.0

NSA | Cisco Password Types: Best Practices

Type 5

NOT NIST APPROVED

: Introduced around 1992. It uses a very simple Message-Digest

5 (MD5) hashing algorithm - 1,000 iterations of MD5 with a 32-bit salt. The MD5

algorithm is not NIST approved. Type 5 passwords are relatively easy to brute force

with modern computers and tools available on the Internet that make it possible to find

collisions for MD5 hashes. The passwords are stored as hashes within the configuration

file.

Only use Type 5 if the hardware cannot utilize software that supports Types 6, 8,

or 9

. NSA also recommends upgrading the hardware to support the newer password

encryption algorithms and more recent Internetwork Operating System (IOS

) versions

to take advantage of newer security features.

Example of a Type 5 password shown in a Cisco configuration:

username bob secret 5 $1$w1Jm$bCt7eJNv.CjWPwyfWcobP0

Type 6

USE ONLY WHEN REVERSIBLE ENCRYPTION IS NEEDED OR WHEN TYPE 8 IS

NOT AVAILABLE:

Type 6 uses a reversible 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard

(AES) encryption algorithm, meaning that the device can decrypt the protected

password into the plaintext password. Type 6 is more secure than Type 7 for cases

where the device needs the plaintext password, such as for use as virtual private

network (VPN) keys. To use Type 6 or convert existing password types (Type 0 or Type

7) to Type 6, configure the primary key with the “

key config-key password-

encrypt

” command. This key is not saved in the running configuration file and is used

to encrypt and decrypt the passwords.

Then enable AES encryption by issuing the "

password encryption aes

" command.

Existing and newly created plaintext passwords are then stored in Type 6 format in the

configuration file.

NSA recommends always using Type 6 for VPN keys. Other than

for VPN keys, NSA only recommends using Type 6 for passwords if Type 8 is not

available (which typically implies that Type 9 is also unavailable).

U/OO/114249-22 | PP-22-0178 | FEB 2022 Ver. 1.0

NSA | Cisco Password Types: Best Practices

Example of a Type 6 password and VPN pre-shared key shown in a Cisco configuration

after converting from Type 0 or 7:

username bob password 6 fZbe^WdXO`^O[YF`XLCfBV\BK`hMge]HF

crypto isakmp key 6 FLgBaJHXdYY_AcHZZMgQ_RhTDJXHUBAAB

address <ip address>

Type 7

DO NOT USE

: Uses a simple alphabetical substitution Vigenere cipher with a

hardcoded publicly known key. It can be reversed immediately into plaintext by using

tools on the Internet. The passwords are stored as encoded strings within the

configuration file. Consider them obfuscated, instead of encrypted [2].

NSA strongly

recommends against using Type 7

Example of a Type 7 password shown in a Cisco configuration:

username bob password 7 08116C5D1A0E550516

Type 8

RECOMMENDED:

Starting with Cisco operating systems developed after 2013, Type 8

is what Type 4 was meant to be. Type 8 passwords are hashed with the Password-

Based Key Derivation Function version 2 (PBKDF2), SHA-256, an 80-bit salt, and

20,000 iterations, which makes it more secure in comparison to the previous password

types. The passwords are stored as hashes within the configuration file. Type 8 is less

resource intensive than Type 9 passwords. No known issues have been found

regarding Type 8 passwords.

NSA recommends using Type 8

 To enable Type 8 privilege EXEC mode passwords:

Router(config)#enable algorithm-type sha256 secret

 To create a local user account with a Type 8 password:

Router(config)#username bob algorithm-type sha256 secret

 Example of a Type 8 password shown in a Cisco configuration:

username bob secret 8

$8$kMehFGHe4ew.chRm.d3hge68ECor21viE35NAMV72qPho75fl/lsFlyEFl

U/OO/114249-22 | PP-22-0178 | FEB 2022 Ver. 1.0

NSA | Cisco Password Types: Best Practices

Type 9

NOT NIST APPROVED

: Also starting with Cisco operating systems developed after

2013, Type 9 was introduced using the Scrypt hashing algorithm, with an 80-bit salt,

and 16384 iterations. Type 9 is designed to make it difficult to crack the password since

it requires a significant amount of hardware resources to do so, raising the cost for an

adversary to brute force. The passwords are stored as hashes within the configuration

file. Cisco and industry recommend Type 9 hashes. However, the algorithm has not

been evaluated against NIST-approved standards and therefore is not recommended by

NSA nor approved for use on National Security Systems (NSS).

 To enable Type 9 privilege EXEC mode passwords:

Router(config)#enable algorithm-type scrypt secret

 To create a local user account with a Type 9 password:

Router(config)#username bob algorithm-type scrypt secret

 Example of a Type 9 password shown in a Cisco configuration:

username bob secret 9

$9$ApsgnGtdkTswkfjucj./4w7dcjhGFsjkdT7mAup2lveHuu25fL.hgvfiq

Mitigate password storage vulnerabilities

For enterprises utilizing Cisco devices, NSA highly recommends using strong,

approved cryptographic algorithms that will protect the password within the

configuration file

. Password exposure due to a weak algorithm may allow for elevated

privileges, which in turn, can lead to a compromised network. Cisco’s Type 8 and Type

9 hashing algorithms are available on Cisco operating systems developed after 2013.

Network administrators should fully use these methods to protect sensitive credentials.

If a network device does not support Type 8 and Type 9 password protection, then the

device should be upgraded.

Use Type 8 and refrain from using Type 0, 4, 5, and 7

Type 8 should be enabled and used for all Cisco devices running software developed

after 2013. Devices running software from before 2013 should be upgraded

U/OO/114249-22 | PP-22-0178 | FEB 2022 Ver. 1.0

NSA | Cisco Password Types: Best Practices

immediately. Types 0, 4, 5, and 7 should not be used on Cisco devices due to weak

hashing algorithms that can result in exposing user credentials. Type 6 passwords

should only be used if specific keys need to be encrypted and not hashed, or when

Type 8 is not available (which typically implies that Type 9 is also unavailable).

Use a strong password for access into privilege EXEC mode

To provide as much protection as possible, use strong passwords to prevent them from

being cracked and converted to plaintext. Comply with a password policy that:

 Consists of a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters, symbols, and

numbers;

 Is at least 15 alphanumeric characters; and

 Patterns that are not:

 A keyboard walk

 The same as a user name

 The default password

 The same as a password used anywhere else

 Related to the network, organization, location, or other function identifiers

 Straight from a dictionary, common acronyms, or easy to guess

To enforce password complexity, the password policy should be edited to implement

complex passwords for each user:

Router(config)#aaa new-model

Router(config)#aaa common-criteria policy policy_name

Router(config-cc-policy)#char changes number

Router(config-cc-policy)#max-length number

Router(config-cc-policy)#min-length number

Router(config-cc-policy)#numeric-count number

Router(config-cc-policy)#special-case number

Router(config-cc-policy)#exit

Router(config)#username user common-criteria-policy

policy_name password password

Router(config)#exit

U/OO/114249-22 | PP-22-0178 | FEB 2022 Ver. 1.0

NSA | Cisco Password Types: Best Practices

Use privilege levels to restrict access

In larger enterprise networks, the level of privileges within the command line should be

used to provide role separation. Cisco devices have 16 privilege levels that range from

0 to 15. Level 0 access allows only five commands, while level 15 access allows

complete administrative control of the Cisco device. Administrators should customize

privilege levels to restrict executing specific commands. Restricting access to specific

commands through privilege EXEC mode can prevent certain users from accessing the

running configuration. Once the privilege level is customized, an encrypted password

can be set for that privilege level. To create a new privilege level for a command, do the

following:

Router(config)#privilege_mode level [0-15] command_string

Router(config)#enable secret level [0-15] password_string

Router(config)#exit

Cisco password types best practices summary

The importance of implementing password security for Cisco network devices will

greatly decrease the chances of any network being compromised. If one is mindful of

the hash and encryption algorithms that are available within Cisco devices, more secure

configurations can be set to prevent password exposure as follows:

 Use password Type 8. Do not use Types 0, 4, and 7. Only use Type 5 when

Types 6, 8, and 9 are not available, and upgrade hardware and software to

support modern hash algorithms. Use password Type 6 when reversible

encryption must be used.

 Use strong password policies to get into privilege EXEC mode. Along with

using strong password hash and encryption algorithms, creating a password that

is very difficult to guess can prevent a network compromise. A complex password

can prevent an unauthorized user from gaining elevated privileges and exposing

the configuration file.

 Use privilege levels. Do not apply level 15 to all user accounts. Provision

various privileged levels to user accounts and commands based on user roles.

U/OO/114249-22 | PP-22-0178 | FEB 2022 Ver. 1.0

NSA | Cisco Password Types: Best Practices

Works cited

[1] Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (2018), Alert (TA18-106A) Russian State-

Sponsored Cyber Actors Targeting Network Infrastructure Devices. Available at:

https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/TA18-106A

[2] S. Singh, Cisco Systems, Inc. (2020), Cisco Guide to Harden Cisco IOS Devices. Available at:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/ip/access-lists/13608-21.html

Related works

 Y. Auda (2020), Cisco Routers Password Types. Available at:

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/article/cisco-routers-password-types.

 T. Glen (2021), Understanding the differences between the Cisco password \ secret Types.

Available at: https://community.cisco.com/t5/networking-documents/understanding-the-

differences-between-the-cisco-password-secret/ta-p/3163238.

 Router-switch.com (2020). Six Types of Cisco Password. Available at: https://www.router.-

switch.com/faq/six-types-of-cisco-password.html

 P. Paluch (2013). When to Use Type-6 Encrypted or Type-7 Encrypted? Available at:

https://community.cisco.com/t5/switching/when-to-use-type-6-encrypted-or-type-7-encrypted/td-

p/2200854.

Trademarks

Cisco

and Cisco IOS

are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc.

Disclaimer of endorsement

The information and opinions contained in this document are provided "as is" and without any warranties or

guarantees. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark,

manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United

States Government, and this guidance shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

Purpose

This document was developed in furtherance of NSA’s cybersecurity missions, including its responsibilities to identify

and disseminate threats to National Security Systems, Department of Defense, and Defense Industrial Base

information systems, and to develop and issue cybersecurity specifications and mitigations. This information may be

shared broadly to reach all appropriate stakeholders.

Contact

Client Requirements / General Cybersecurity Inquiries: Cybersecurity Requirements Center, 410-854-4200,

[email protected]

Media Inquiries / Press Desk: 443-634-0721,

MediaRelation[email protected]

Defense Industrial Base Inquiries and Cybersecurity Services:

DIB_Defense@cyber.nsa.gov