Crypto Key Generate Rsa 1024 Command

  • October 2, 2015
  • Posted by: Syed Shujaat
  • Category: Cisco, Networking Solutions
  1. Crypto Key Generate Rsa Command
  2. Create Rsa Keys Cisco
  3. Generate Rsa Crypto Key Cisco
  4. Cisco Generate Crypto Key

Oct 02, 2015 SSH Config and crypto key generate RSA command. Use this command to generate RSA key pairs for your Cisco device (such as a router). Keys are generated in pairs–one public RSA key and one private RSA key. If your router already has RSA keys when you issue this command, you will be warned and prompted to replace the existing keys with new keys. First, you must create the keys on both devices. We recommend using at least 1024-bit keys in production networks: Router1#configure terminal Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z. Router1(config)#crypto key generate rsa The name for the keys will be: Router1.oreilly.com Choose the size of the key modulus in the range of 360 to 2048 for your General Purpose Keys. If you do not enter the dsa keyword, the crypto key generate command generates a DSA key pair by default. To enable SSH, you generate a DSA or RSA host key on the device. The SSH server on the ICX device uses this host DSA or RSA key, along with a dynamically generated server DSA or RSA key pair, to negotiate a session key and encryption method.

The simplest way to generate a key pair is to run ssh-keygen without arguments. In this case, it will prompt for the file in which to store keys. Here's an example: klar (11:39) ssh-keygen Generating public/private rsa key pair. Dec 26, 2013  so it looks as if there is no point in the 'crypto key generate rsa' command if i follow it up with the 'crypto key generate rsa usage-keys label sshkeys mod 1024' command, i just wanted to make sure the first wasn't need for the second to work or something screwy like that.

Online RSA Key Generator. Key Size 1024 bit. 512 bit; 1024 bit; 2048 bit; 4096 bit Generate New Keys Async. RSA Encryption Test. Text to encrypt: Encrypt / Decrypt.

Use this command to generate RSA key pairs for your Cisco device (such as a router). keys are generated in pairs–one public RSA key and one private RSA key.

If your router already has RSA keys when you issue this command, you will be warned and prompted to replace the existing keys with new keys.

NOTE: Before issuing this command, ensure that your router has a hostname and IP domain name configured (with the hostname and ipdomain-name commands).

You will be unable to complete the cryptokeygeneratersacommand without a hostname and IP domain name. (This situation is not true when you generate only a named key pair.)

Here are the steps to Enable SSH and Crypto Key setup : 2 config must requried for SSH

1 Setup Local VTY line User ID and password

router (Config) # Line VTY 0 15

router (Config-line)# login local

router (Config-line)# Exit

!!! create local login ID/Pass

router (Config)# username [loginid] password [cisco]

router (Config)# username loginid1 password cisco1

2. router (Config)# ip domain-name example.com

router (Config)# crypto key generate rsa

how many bits in the modulus [512] :1024

Key

router (Config)# ip ssh version2

router (Config)# CTRL Z


Note

Secure Shell (SSH) may generate an additional RSA key pair if you generate a key pair on a router having no RSA keys. The additional key pair is used only by SSH and will have a name such as {router_FQDN }.server.

For example, if a router name is “router1.cisco.com,” the key name is “router1.cisco.com.server.”

This command is not saved in the router configuration; however, the RSA keys generated by this command are saved in the private configuration in NVRAM (which is never displayed to the user or backed up to another device) the next time the configuration is written to NVRAM.

Modulus Length

When you generate RSA keys, you will be prompted to enter a modulus length. The longer the modulus, the stronger the security. However, a longer modules take longer to generate (see the table below for sample times) and takes longer to use.

The size of Key Modulus range from 360 to 2048. Choosing modulus greater than 512 will take longer time.

Router360 bits512 bits1024 bits2048 bits (maximum)
Cisco 250011 seconds20 seconds4 minutes, 38 secondsMore than 1 hour
Cisco 4700Less than 1 second1 second4 seconds50 seconds

Cisco IOS software does not support a modulus greater than 4096 bits. A length of less than 512 bits is normally not recommended. In certain situations, the shorter modulus may not function properly with IKE, so we recommend using a minimum modulus of 2048 bits.

Syntax Description : Optional Strings to embed with SSH Crypto key

general-keys(Optional) Specifies that a general-purpose key pair will be generated, which is the default.
usage-keys(Optional) Specifies that two RSA special-usage key pairs, one encryption pair and one signature pair, will be generated.
signature(Optional) Specifies that the RSA public key generated will be a signature special usage key.
encryption(Optional) Specifies that the RSA public key generated will be an encryption special usage key.
labelkey-label(Optional) Specifies the name that is used for an RSA key pair when they are being exported.If a key label is not specified, the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the router is used.
exportable(Optional) Specifies that the RSA key pair can be exported to another Cisco device, such as a router.
modulusmodulus-size(Optional) Specifies the IP size of the key modulus.By default, the modulus of a certification authority (CA) key is 1024 bits. The recommended modulus for a CA key is 2048 bits. The range of a CA key modulus is from 350 to 4096 bits.
Note Effective with Cisco IOS XE Release 2.4 and Cisco IOS Release 15.1(1)T, the maximum key size was expanded to 4096 bits for private key operations. The maximum for private key operations prior to these releases was 2048 bits.
storagedevicename:(Optional) Specifies the key storage location. The name of the storage device is followed by a colon (:).
redundancy(Optional) Specifies that the key should be synchronized to the standby CA.
ondevicename:(Optional) Specifies that the RSA key pair will be created on the specified device, including a Universal Serial Bus (USB) token, local disk, or NVRAM. The name of the device is followed by a colon (:).Keys created on a USB token must be 2048 bits or less.
CommandDescription
copyCopies any file from a source to a destination, use the copy command in privileged EXEC mode.
cryptokeystorageSets the default storage location for RSA key pairs.
debugcryptoengineDisplays debug messages about crypto engines.
hostnameSpecifies or modifies the hostname for the network server.
ipdomain-nameDefines a default domain name to complete unqualified hostnames (names without a dotted-decimal domain name).
showcryptokeymypubkeyrsaDisplays the RSA public keys of your router.
show crypto pki certificatesDisplays information about your PKI certificate, certification authority, and any registration authority certificates.

Telnet versus SSH

Many people continue to use Telnet for sensitive applications or access to critical systems. Telnet is CLEARTEXT, so all the data, including the login id is visible is someone intercepts that session

Here’s what this looks like using Wireshark an Open Source Protocol Analyzer when we use the Follow TCP Stream feature in Wireshark.

The next characters are red (the character I typed) and blue (the characters echoed back)

Crypto Key Generate Rsa Command

You clearly see the User Verification Prompt.Here's the telnet trace file.

Below you can see me typing in my username;

In this screenshot below you can see me entering the commandenable and the the enable password.

How to Enable SSH Version 1 on Cisco

Before you can enable SSH you need to assign individual (or group) user IDs and passwords.

These are just login id's and are required regardless if you use Telnet or SSH.

To enable locally administered user IDs, use the following set of configuration commands. I would not suggest using the nopassword parameter.

Put your own data in the italized text.

Now when you telnet into the device you should see the Username prompt

User Access Verification
Username: fortunato
Password:
foghorn>

Now that you have login id's created you can turn on SSH version 1.

To enable SSH, use the following set of configuration commands. I would not suggest using the nopassword parameter.

Create Rsa Keys Cisco

Put your own data in the italized text.

foghorn#configure terminal

Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.

foghorn(config)#crypto key generate rsa

% Please define a domain-name first.! common mistake when you do not the IP domain-name created

foghorn(config)#ip domain-name thetechfirm.com

foghorn(config)#crypto key generate rsa

The name for the keys will be: foghorn.thetechfirm.com

Choose the size of the key modulus in the range of 360 to 2048 for your

General Purpose Keys. Choosing a key modulus greater than 512 may take a few minutes.

How many bits in the modulus [512]: 1024

% Generating 1024 bit RSA keys ...[OK]

foghorn(config)#ip ssh time-out 120

foghorn(config)#ip ssh authentication-retries 5

foghorn(config)#end

Generate Rsa Crypto Key Cisco

Now we'll try to capture the SSH login and as you can see the login data is no longer in clear text. Here's the SSH 1 trace file.

The moral of the story is not to use Cleartext logins if the device or application is sensitive.

Cisco Generate Crypto Key

To upgrade to even more secure SSH version 2, type in the following commands

foghorn(config)#ip ssh version 2
foghorn(config)#no ip ssh version 1
foghorn(config)#end

the SSH version 2 trace files are here

In this write up I used;

  • Wireshark Protocol Analyzer(free)

  • Putty Telnet/SSH Client(free)

  • Cisco Switch(not free)