In Cisco IOS, when you set a password using the command enable secret MyPassword , the device stores it in the running configuration as a hash.
Below is a complete report on the "Secret 5," including the technical background, the commands themselves, and the context in which they are used.
These commands are typically entered in the Global Configuration mode of a Cisco switch.
While Type 5 was revolutionary upon its release in 1992, it is no longer considered "best practice" for high-security environments.
The Cisco Secret 5 password was a landmark shift toward in infrastructure security. While it has largely been superseded by more secure algorithms—such as Type 8 (SHA-256) and Type 9 (scrypt) —understanding Type 5 is essential for any network professional. It serves as the baseline for protecting "privileged exec" mode and remains a ubiquitous feature in the world of routing and switching.
To manage a switch remotely (to ping it, telnet into it, or access its web interface), it needs an IP address. This IP is assigned to a virtual interface representing the entire switch or a specific VLAN. By default, this is .
Secret 5 Cisco ^new^ Official
In Cisco IOS, when you set a password using the command enable secret MyPassword , the device stores it in the running configuration as a hash.
Below is a complete report on the "Secret 5," including the technical background, the commands themselves, and the context in which they are used.
These commands are typically entered in the Global Configuration mode of a Cisco switch.
While Type 5 was revolutionary upon its release in 1992, it is no longer considered "best practice" for high-security environments.
The Cisco Secret 5 password was a landmark shift toward in infrastructure security. While it has largely been superseded by more secure algorithms—such as Type 8 (SHA-256) and Type 9 (scrypt) —understanding Type 5 is essential for any network professional. It serves as the baseline for protecting "privileged exec" mode and remains a ubiquitous feature in the world of routing and switching.
To manage a switch remotely (to ping it, telnet into it, or access its web interface), it needs an IP address. This IP is assigned to a virtual interface representing the entire switch or a specific VLAN. By default, this is .