10-03-2007 11:34 AM - edited 03-03-2019 07:01 PM
Hi, I have a pre-shared key of 8 characters, it includes numbers, letters, capital letters, and symbols, is this ok? Or a million dollar question :)
10-03-2007 11:50 AM
All depends what you are trying to protect and where. If relatively minor info, across an already private network it will be fine. If the info is troop movements, and it is to be carried across the internet, it may be a little weak!
If the key is something like G66d-day (simply put numlock on a notebook) it is comparatively weak.
The longet, and more varied the more secure, and shorter key life improves security too.
10-03-2007 11:58 AM
Andy
With numbers, letters, capital letters, and symbols it sounds like a pretty strong key. I would think that a length of 8 characters is good enough. What function will this key be used for?
HTH
Rick
10-03-2007 12:51 PM
Its for a site to site VPN between an 877 and a Cisco concentrator
10-03-2007 11:21 PM
And what is the sensitivity of the data? where is the transit network (internet)? These are more important thanthe hardware TBH.
10-03-2007 12:41 PM
Consider good old DES 40 bit ciphering. You can't break it by brute force (no other type of attack is known to work) unless you have significant computing power (much more that one today's CPU).
Now consider that switching to the "even stronger" AES of 256 bits, makes no difference in performance, with hw acceleration on the router.
And all the options in between the above. Practical difference in using one or another: none.
[edit] - I realize that the above is not really about the string representation of a pre-shared key. On the other hand, the first is just producing the second, and it's lenght is what matter most.
10-03-2007 01:04 PM
How would I configure that on a Cisco 877 and at the Cisco concentrator end?
10-03-2007 01:13 PM
Pick the example that better matches your case from here:
http://cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk583/tk372/tech_configuration_examples_list.html
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