Why does the command 'enable password 7 password123' produce an 'Invalid encrypted password' error?

Why does the command 'enable password 7 password123' produce an 'Invalid encrypted password' error?

• A. 7 specifies a hidden password will follow and must already be encrypted
• B. The password must be entered in plain text without encryption
• C. The password must be longer than 8 characters
• D. The command syntax is deprecated

Answer: (A)

In Cisco IOS, the enable password can be stored as either plaintext or an encrypted value. The 7 after enable password tells the device that the following text is already encrypted with Type 7. Type 7 is a reversible encryption with a specific ciphertext format, not regular text. The string you provided, password123, isn’t a valid Type 7 ciphertext, so the device reports an invalid encrypted password. If you want a plain-text password, omit the 7 and provide the password directly (or use enable secret for a stronger, non-type-7 encryption).

In Cisco IOS, the enable password can be stored as either plaintext or an encrypted value. The 7 after enable password tells the device that the following text is already encrypted with Type 7. Type 7 is a reversible encryption with a specific ciphertext format, not regular text. The string you provided, password123, isn’t a valid Type 7 ciphertext, so the device reports an invalid encrypted password. If you want a plain-text password, omit the 7 and provide the password directly (or use enable secret for a stronger, non-type-7 encryption).