Encrypted user password in .pcf?

[Webpilot]

Hello,

our company has just introduced VPN dialup connections via the Cisco VPN client 3.6 and a Cisco 3000 series concentrator. My question is:

Is it possible to encrypt the user password and save it to the .pcf-file, so as not to have any clear text passwords in the .pcf and not to have to enter the password each and every time a connection is made?

Secondly, is it considered unsafe to have an encrypted password saved to .pcf-file even when the permissions to the file are set strictly?

Thank you for your answers.

Chris

[gfullage]

Modify the group parameters on te head-end concentrator, under the Client Config tab there's an option to allow the client to save the password locally (Allow Password Storage on Client).

Having said that, I would personally see this as a huge security risk. What if someone steals one of these PC's, they have open access into your network from then on.

[Webpilot]

Thank you very much for your reply. Thinking again about locally saved passwords, the security risk is considered too high here as well even though another SecurID login is required to gain access. However it would be absurd to choose a VPN access solution and on the other hand allow locally saved passwords - encrypted or not. Thanks again!

Best regards

Chris