System information

Troubleshooting Security Implementations 24-489
Password-Recovery Procedure: Platforms Running Recent Software Releases
• local—(Optional) Selects local password checking. Authentication is based on the
username specified with the username global configuration command.
• tacacs—(Optional) Selects the TACACS-style user ID and password-checking
mechanism.
Examples:
The following example sets the password letmein on virtual terminal line 4:
line vty 4
password letmein
login
Syntax:
To specify a password on a line, use the password line configuration command:
password password
Syntax Description:
• password—Character string that specifies the line password. The first character cannot
be a number. The string can contain any alphanumeric characters, including spaces,
up to 80 characters. You cannot specify password in the format
number-space-anything. The space after the number causes problems. For example,
hello 21 is a legal password, but 21 hello is not. The password checking is case
sensitive. For example, the password Secret is different from the password secret.
When an exec process is started on a line with password protection, the exec prompts
for the password. If the user enters the correct password, the exec prints its normal
privileged prompt. The user can try three times to enter a password before the exec
exits and returns the terminal to the idle state.
Example:
The following example removes the password from virtual terminal lines 1 to 4:
line vty 1 4
no password
Step 10 If you have lost the enable password, locate the enable-password global configuration
command entry and record the password.
If you have lost the login password, find the configuration entries for the console line and
record the password indicated by the password line configuration command.
Step 11 Use the write memory privileged exec command to write the configuration into running
memory.
Step 12 The router is now fully functional and you can use your recovered or reconfigured
passwords as usual.
Note Return the hardware configuration register jumper to its original position as soon as possible.
If the jumper is not returned to the bit position you noted in Step 2, the router will always ignore the
contents of NVRAM and enter the Setup routine upon booting. Continue with Step 13 to return the
jumper to its original position.
Step 13 Power down the router.
Step 14 Move the hardware configuration register jumper from bit position 6 to its original
position (the position you noted in Step 2).