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Dated: 02-12-2024

Ch03. case Study Security Hardening - Network Routers

  • CIS Benchmarks case study (Cisco IOS 15)
  • For Cisco routers running IOS 15M
  • 3.3.2.2 Set ip ospf message-digest-key md5 (Scored)
  • Profile applicability:
    • Level 2
  • Description: Enable Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) Message Digest 5 (MD5) authentication.
  • Rationale: This is part of the OSPF authentication setup
  • Audit: Verify the appropriate md5 key is defined on the appropriate interface(s)
hostname#sh run int {interface}
  • Remediation: 
hostname(config)#interface {interface_name} hostname(config-if)#ip ospf message-digest-key {ospf_mds_key-id} md5 {ospf_md5_key}
  • Impact:
    • Organizations should plan and implement enterprise security policies that require rigorous authentication methods for routing protocols. Configuring the proper interface(s) for ip ospf message-digest-key md5 enforces these policies by restricting exchanges between network devices.
  • Default value: not set