Telnet Security Question for a Router.

["Tony Toni" <tony572000 () hotmail com>]

We were currently wrote up by our external auditors because we use telnet to 
access all of our routers.  In some cases we use a filtered Telnet 
service...but that is not the normal practice.  We are a fairly good size 
company with about 1000+ routers.

I am charged with coordinating a response to the auditors.   I know all of 
the security issues involved with Telnet...ie login id and password sent 
across the network in clear text, etc.   My question:   Is it possible to 
use SSH or CISCO TACACS+ to encrypt the entire Telnet session?  Is there a 
way to ensure no one can sniff the login id and password?   The Network 
Services Group is adamant that neither SSH or CISCO TACACS+ will work on a 
router to correct the security issue.

Tony CIA,CISA,CDP,MBA
Security and Audit Services
Nations Banking & Trust

PS: I have been playing phone tag with the auditor that wrote us up...to see 
what they recommend...have not reached him yet.





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