KB.15.15

Unable to use previous password

If you cannot access the switch after a software version downgrade, clear the password by using

the [Clear] button on the switch to regain access. Then boot into a software version that supports

long passwords, and perform steps 1, 2, or 3 in the preceding section.

Security credentials

You can store and view the following security settings in the running-config file associated with the

current software image. The security settings that can be saved to a configuration file are:

• Local manager and operator passwords and user names.

• SNMP security credentials, including SNMPv1 community names and SNMPv3 usernames,

authentication, and privacy settings.

• 802.1X port-access passwords and usernames.

• TACACS+ encryption keys.

• RADIUS shared secret (encryption) keys.

• Public keys of SSH-enabled management stations that are used by the switch to authenticate

SSH clients that try to connect to the switch.

Local manager and operator credentials

The information saved to the running-config file when the include-credentials command is entered

includes:

password manager[user-name<name>]<hash type><pass-hash>

password operator[user-name<name>]<hash type><pass-hash>

where

name is an alphanumeric string for the user name assigned to the manager or

operator.

<hash type> indicates the type of hash algorithm used: SHA-1 or plain text.

<pass hash> is the SHA-1 authentication protocol’s hash of the password or clear

ASCII text.

For example, a manager username and password can be stored in a runningconfig file as

follows:

password manager user-name George SHA1

2fd4e1c67a2d28fced849ee1bb76e7391b93eb12

Use the write memory command to save the password configurations in the startup-config

file. The passwords take effect when the switch boots with the software version associated with

that configuration file.

CAUTION: If a startup configuration file includes other security credentials, but does not contain

a manager or operator password, the switch will not have password protection and can be accessed

through Telnet or the serial port of the switch with full manager privileges.

Password command options

The password command has the following options:

Syntax

[no]password<manager|operator|port

access>[user-name<name>]<hash-type><password>

26 Configuring Username and Password Security