ASA password recovery

Parminder Sian · ‎11-13-2011

Password Recovery Procedure
Disabling Password Recovery

Password Recovery Procedure

To recover passwords for the ASA, perform the following steps:

Step 1 Connect to the ASA console port according to the instructions in "Accessing the Command-Line Interface" section.

Step 2 Power off the ASA, and then power it on.

Step 3 After startup, press the Escape key when you are prompted to enter ROMMON mode.

Step 4 To update the configuration register value, enter the following command:

rommon #1> confreg 0x41

Update Config Register (0x41) in NVRAM...

Step 5 To set the ASA to ignore the startup configuration, enter the following command:

rommon #1> confreg

The ASA displays the current configuration register value, and asks whether you want to change it:

Current Configuration Register: 0x00000041

Configuration Summary:

  boot default image from Flash

  ignore system configuration

Do you wish to change this configuration? y/n [n]: y

Step 6 Record the current configuration register value, so you can restore it later.

Step 7 At the prompt, enter Y to change the value.

The ASA prompts you for new values.

Step 8 Accept the default values for all settings. At the prompt, enter Y.

Step 9 Reload the ASA by entering the following command:

rommon #2> boot

Launching BootLoader...

Boot configuration file contains 1 entry.

Loading disk0:/asa800-226-k8.bin... Booting...Loading...

The ASA loads the default configuration instead of the startup configuration.

Step 10 Access the privileged EXEC mode by entering the following command:

hostname> enable

Step 11 When prompted for the password, press Enter.

The password is blank.

Step 12 Load the startup configuration by entering the following command:

hostname# copy startup-config running-config

Step 13 Access the global configuration mode by entering the following command:

hostname# configure terminal

Step 14 Change the passwords, as required, in the default configuration by entering the following commands:

hostname(config)# password password

hostname(config)# enable password password

hostname(config)# username name password password

Step 15 Load the default configuration by entering the following command:

hostname(config)# no config-register

The default configuration register value is 0x1.

Step 16 Save the new passwords to the startup configuration by entering the following command:

hostname(config)# copy running-config startup-config

Disabling Password Recovery

You might want to disable password recovery to ensure that unauthorized users cannot use the password recovery mechanism to compromise the ASA.

On the ASA, the no service password-recovery command prevents a user from entering ROMMON mode with the configuration intact. When a user enters ROMMON mode, the ASA prompts the user to erase all Flash file systems. The user cannot enter ROMMON mode without first performing this erasure. If a user chooses not to erase the Flash file system, the ASA reloads. Because password recovery depends on using ROMMON mode and maintaining the existing configuration, this erasure prevents you from recovering a password. However, disabling password recovery prevents unauthorized users from viewing the configuration or inserting different passwords. In this case, to restore the system to an operating state, load a new image and a backup configuration file, if available.

walter baziuk · ‎03-17-2014

excellent, well written and simple solution

just what i was looking for!

Steve Berglund · ‎03-26-2014

Small differences, but also successful:

Performing Password Recovery for the ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliance

To recover passwords, perform the following steps:

Step 1 Connect to the security appliance console port according to the "Accessing the Command-Line Interface" section on page 2-4.

Step 2 Power off the security appliance, and then power it on.

Step 3 During the startup messages, press the Escape key when prompted to enter ROMMON.

Step 4 To set the security appliance to ignore the startup configuration at reload, enter the following command:

rommon #1> confreg

The security appliance displays the current configuration register value, and asks if you want to change the value:

Current Configuration Register: 0x00000011

Configuration Summary:

boot TFTP image, boot default image from Flash on netboot failure

Do you wish to change this configuration? y/n [n]:

Step 5 Record your current configuration register value, so you can restore it later.

Step 6 At the prompt, enter Y to change the value.

The security appliance prompts you for new values.

Step 7 Accept the default values for all settings, except for the "disable system configuration?" value; at that prompt, enter Y.

Step 8 Reload the security appliance by entering the following command:

rommon #2> boot

The security appliance loads a default configuration instead of the startup configuration.

Step 9 Enter privileged EXEC mode by entering the following command:

hostname> enable

Step 10 When prompted for the password, press Return.

The password is blank.

Step 11 Load the startup configuration by entering the following command:

hostname# copy startup-config running-config

Step 12 Enter global configuration mode by entering the following command:

hostname# configure terminal

Step 13 Change the passwords in the configuration by entering the following commands, as necessary:

hostname(config)# password password

hostname(config)# enable password password

hostname(config)# username name password password

Step 14 Change the configuration register to load the startup configuration at the next reload by entering the following command:

hostname(config)# config-register value

Where value is the configuration register value you noted in Step 5 and 0x1 is the default configuration register. For more information about the configuration register, see the Cisco Security Appliance Command Reference.

Step 15 Save the new passwords to the startup configuration by entering the following command:

hostname(config)# copy running-config startup-config

rhutchings1 · ‎08-28-2015

Further modified instructions for the vulcan minded:

Performing Password Recovery for the ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliance

To recover passwords, perform the following steps:

Step 1 Connect to the security appliance console port according to the "Accessing the Command-Line Interface" section on page 2-4.

Step 2 Power off the security appliance, and then power it on.

Step 3 During the startup messages, press the Escape key when prompted to enter ROMMON.

Step 4 To set the security appliance to ignore the startup configuration at reload, enter the following command:

rommon #1> confreg

The security appliance displays the current configuration register value, and asks if you want to change the value:

Current Configuration Register: 0x00000011

Configuration Summary:

boot TFTP image, boot default image from Flash on netboot failure

Do you wish to change this configuration? y/n [n]:

Step 5 Record your current configuration register value (the number that is similar to 0x00000011 in the example above,) so you can restore it later.

Step 6 Enter Y to change the configuration and press Y.

The security appliance prompts you for new values.

Step 7 Accept the default values for all settings (which is N for all settings by the way,) except for the "disable system configuration?" value; at that prompt, enter Y.

Step 8 Reload the security appliance by entering the following command:

rommon #2> boot

The security appliance loads a default configuration instead of the startup configuration.

Step 9 Enter privileged EXEC mode by entering the following command:

hostname> enable

Step 10 When prompted for the password, press Return.

The password is blank.

Step 11 Load the startup configuration by entering the following command:

hostname# copy startup-config running-config

Step 12 Enter global configuration mode by entering the following command:

hostname# configure terminal

Step 13 Change the passwords in the configuration by entering the following commands, as necessary. Note: the second word "password" below is where you enter your actual password since the password "password" is not a password at all.

hostname(config)# password password

hostname(config)# enable password password

hostname(config)# username name password password

Step 14 Change the configuration register to load the startup configuration at the next reload by entering the following command:

hostname(config)# config-register value

Where value is the configuration register value you noted in Step 5 and 0x1 is the default configuration register. For more information about the configuration register, see the Cisco Security Appliance Command Reference.

Step 15 Save the new passwords to the startup configuration by entering the following command:

hostname(config)# copy running-config startup-config

Step 16 You will need to repeat steps 4 through 8, except this time at step seven press N for the "disable system configuration?"

ksiahatgar · ‎06-10-2016

What about ASA 5525-x because it does not accept password password command, is the password recovery like ASA 5520 ? or which steps are necessary for ASA 5525-x password recovery ?

rwosburn · ‎08-04-2016

Can this be done in an Active/Standby configuration without an outage? I was thinking that I could reset the password on the standby ASA and when it returned to service, its configuration would be newer so it would push the new passwords over to the active ASA. Is this correct?

theodoxa1 · ‎08-09-2017

That appears to have worked, except I received a message when I copied the startup-config to the running-config saying "Enter the certificate in hexadecimal representation". I assume I lost all my ASA Issued client certificates? Not a big deal as this ASA hasn't been used in months.

WasifKhan@idesigndata.com · ‎12-27-2017

@Parminder Sian Thanks Bro , Its Helps me a lot . Really very appreciating work by you. :)

@Parminder Sian wrote:

Password Recovery Procedure
Disabling Password Recovery
Password Recovery Procedure
Disabling Password Recovery
Password Recovery Procedure
Disabling Password Recovery

Password Recovery Procedure

To recover passwords for the ASA, perform the following steps:

Step 1 Connect to the ASA console port according to the instructions in "Accessing the Command-Line Interface" section.

Step 2 Power off the ASA, and then power it on.

Step 3 After startup, press the Escape key when you are prompted to enter ROMMON mode.

Step 4 To update the configuration register value, enter the following command:
rommon #1> confreg 0x41
Update Config Register (0x41) in NVRAM...
Step 5 To set the ASA to ignore the startup configuration, enter the following command:
rommon #1> confreg
The ASA displays the current configuration register value, and asks whether you want to change it:
Current Configuration Register: 0x00000041
Configuration Summary: 
  boot default image from Flash
  ignore system configuration
Do you wish to change this configuration? y/n [n]: y
Step 6 Record the current configuration register value, so you can restore it later.

Step 7 At the prompt, enter Y to change the value.

The ASA prompts you for new values.

Step 8 Accept the default values for all settings. At the prompt, enter Y.

Step 9 Reload the ASA by entering the following command:
rommon #2> boot
Launching BootLoader...
Boot configuration file contains 1 entry.
Loading disk0:/asa800-226-k8.bin... Booting...Loading...
The ASA loads the default configuration instead of the startup configuration.

Step 10 Access the privileged EXEC mode by entering the following command:
hostname> enable
Step 11 When prompted for the password, press Enter.

The password is blank.

Step 12 Load the startup configuration by entering the following command:
hostname# copy startup-config running-config
Step 13 Access the global configuration mode by entering the following command:
hostname# configure terminal
Step 14 Change the passwords, as required, in the default configuration by entering the following commands:
hostname(config)# password password
hostname(config)# enable password password
hostname(config)# username name password password
Step 15 Load the default configuration by entering the following command:
hostname(config)# no config-register 
The default configuration register value is 0x1.

Step 16 Save the new passwords to the startup configuration by entering the following command:
hostname(config)# copy running-config startup-config
Disabling Password Recovery

You might want to disable password recovery to ensure that unauthorized users cannot use the password recovery mechanism to compromise the ASA.

On the ASA, the no service password-recovery command prevents a user from entering ROMMON mode with the configuration intact. When a user enters ROMMON mode, the ASA prompts the user to erase all Flash file systems. The user cannot enter ROMMON mode without first performing this erasure. If a user chooses not to erase the Flash file system, the ASA reloads. Because password recovery depends on using ROMMON mode and maintaining the existing configuration, this erasure prevents you from recovering a password. However, disabling password recovery prevents unauthorized users from viewing the configuration or inserting different passwords. In this case, to restore the system to an operating state, load a new image and a backup configuration file, if available.

slicerpro · ‎03-30-2018

This guide is missing something around step 6 or 7 where when asked whether to "disable system configuration", you are supposed to answer yes. That is the only way to bypass the existing password and overwrite it with a new one.

Other than that, it is an excellent life saver.

pune.noc1 · ‎04-05-2018

I have firewall 5516, by mistake I have disable password recovery option also I have forgot username and password how to reset the firewall or how to load new ISO file.

Please help

mestasew1 · ‎08-29-2018

Somehow it helped me to reset the password on 5506x. Will I be able to reset to factory default from privilege exec ?