A network administrator has a tough job to complete. After all, they are responsible for the very security of the network they are supposedly administrating. This is a very tough job, with so many threats and vulnerabilities out to date. This is especially true with router configuration, where threats need to be neutralized.

There are a total of five different commands that can be used in regards to the different passwords that can be secured. The first to review is the command "Enable password." This command is an outdated form, although it is still in use among older routers and with those who haven't upgraded their IOS. Enable password in particular is flawed because it uses no encryption to store the password in question.

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.

For anyone running an IOS version below 10.3, the enable secret command will not be available. Thus, it is extremely important that all Cisco router users update to the latest IOS if it hasn't been done so already. By default, newer IOS versions will use enable secret over enable password- which is obviously the better choice in the matter.

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.

Closing Comments

Network security is a big industry. Regardless of the thousands of dollars businesses use to propel their business, the smallest of commands such as enable secret and enable password will do a world of good for the network as a whole. Be sure to read more on the subject in Cisco documentation and online networking resources to get the full effect on how to use, maintain, and prepare Cisco routers for security topics.