Cisco Tip: Encrypting Passwords

Worried about someone looking over your shoulder while you view your router configuration? Well, then, perhaps you should encrypt the passwords in your configuration so that they are not visible when viewed on screen or when printed out. To encrypt your passwords, use the global command service password-encryption.



The service password-encryption command uses a Vigenere cipher, which is a weak form of encryption.



If you need to decipher your encrypted passwords, check out Get Pass.



For a stronger level of security, you can use the enable secret command, which uses the MD5 algorithm.



Note: Get Pass will not work on enable secret passwords, only Type 7 passwords.