Ugh! Your teachers are incorrect. The enable password and enable secret perform the same function. The difference is how they are stored in the configuration. The enable password is "encrypted" using Cisco's type 7 password encryption. This encryption is very easy to break thus making your passwords vulnerable to anyone who can obtain your configurations (via a TFTP server, dumpster diving, etc.)
The enable secret is a solution to the weak type 7 encryption. The enable secret password encrypts using MD5, a much stronger hashing function. Whenever you have the enable secret and the enable password configured on the same router, the enable password is not used. The reason for having the enable password is for backwards compatibility with IOS's that do not support the enable secret(although I doubt you will be going back that far anymore). So to make a long story short, yes the enable password is an "older" form of the enable secret. By the way, are you sure you are not getting the "enable password" confused with the "line password"? The line password is used by default to login to a router. Take care, Paul Borghese ----- Original Message ----- From: "Morgan Hansen" To: Sent: Monday, July 01, 2002 2:55 PM Subject: Please tell me it isnt so :( [7:47863] > Hi, and once again Helo :-) > > Ive just received this note at my inbox: > > "Isn't enable password just the older form of enable > secret?" > > Reading this allmost made me go into shock! Is this true??! Cause if it > is im out of werdz(?) > > For allmost a year now I have with 30 something other youngsters studied > at my school (name whatever) for the CCNA and the CNAP program. Our 2 > teachers (name irrelevant) have told us this about the passwords: > > enable password (when logging on to the router you should use this) > > enable secret (the password you must use to be able to make > configuration changes in your router) > > So my question is: > > ARE WE BEING LIED TO?! (let me tell you, this school costs $$$$$$$, so > im hoping for an answer like; NO) > Oh, and one other thing. If this turnes out to be the truth, im having > mixed emotions about paying huge amounts of $ to be able to use their > curriculum during my CNAP studying time, just to find out that what they > ask of you on their CCNA exam filters things not even MENTIONED in the > Curriculum they provide! It's the sadest thing. > > Morgan Hansen > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=47873&t=47863 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
