3.3.4.1 Set 'neighbor password'

Information

Enable message digest5 (MD5) authentication on a TCP connection between two BGP peers

Rationale:

Enforcing routing authentication reduces the likelihood of routing poisoning and unauthorized routers from joining BGP routing.

Solution

Configure BGP neighbor authentication where feasible.


hostname(config)#router bgp <bgp_as-number>
hostname(config-router)#neighbor <bgp_neighbor-ip | peer-group-name> password <password>





Impact:

Organizations should plan and implement enterprise security policies that require rigorous authentication methods for routing protocols. Using the 'neighbor password' for BGP enforces these policies by restricting the type of authentication between network devices.

Default Value:

Not set

References:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios-xml/ios/iproute_bgp/command/bgp-n1.html#GUID-A8900842-ECF3-42D3-B188-921BE0EC060B

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios-xml/ios/iproute_bgp/command/bgp-m1.html#GUID-159A8006-F0DF-4B82-BB71-C39D2C134205

Notes:

MD5 authentication between two BGP peers, meaning that each segment sent on the TCP connection between the peers is verified. MD5 authentication must be configured with the same password on both BGP peers.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/2585

Item Details

Category: IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION

References: 800-53|IA-3, CSCv6|11

Plugin: Cisco

Control ID: 5d4c0b996260f2c2cd5fd1928f82472ffb92c2514b90748a0bae9f9fa6293d61