# Decrypt Type 7 Password using Key-Chain **URL:** https://forum.networklessons.com/t/decrypt-type-7-password-using-key-chain/1070 **Category:** Lessons Discussion **Created:** [December 26, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://forum.networklessons.com/t/decrypt-type-7-password-using-key-chain/1070 "2016-12-26T19:14:46Z") **Posts on this page:** 1 **Showing post:** 5
### Author: ![lagapidis](https://cdn-forum.networklessons.com/user_avatar/forum.networklessons.com/lagapidis/32/4949_2.png) [@lagapidis](https://forum.networklessons.com/u/lagapidis) #### Post date: [July 10, 2026, 5:21am UTC](https://forum.networklessons.com/t/decrypt-type-7-password-using-key-chain/1070/5 "2026-07-10T05:21:58Z")
Hello Leonard Short answer: No, the key-chain method only works for Type 7 passwords and cannot be used on Type 5 (or Type 8/9) passwords. The key reason comes down to the fundamental difference between encryption and hashing: Type 7 is **reversible encryption**. It uses Cisco’s Vigenère-style XOR obfuscation with a publicly known key. Because **it’s designed to be reversible** , the router can recover the original plaintext, and that’s exactly what the key-chain trick exploits. When you paste a Type 7 string into key-string 7, the router recognizes it and displays the plaintext. This works because the algorithm is intentionally two-way. Type 5 is a one-way MD5 hash. This is fundamentally different. Hashing is **designed to be irreversible** ,. There is no algorithm to go from Type 5 hash → plaintext. The same applies to Type 8 (PBKDF2-SHA256) and Type 9 (scrypt), which are even stronger one-way hashes with salting and iteration. If you look at what the key-chain key-string command actually accepts, you’ll see: ```auto R1(config-keychain-key)#key-string ? 0 Specifies an UNENCRYPTED password will follow 7 Specifies a HIDDEN password will follow LINE The UNENCRYPTED (cleartext) user password ``` There is no 5 option. The router has no mechanism to accept or process a Type 5 hash in that field, because the underlying trick only works with reversible encryption. I hope this has been helpful! Laz --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.networklessons.com/t/decrypt-type-7-password-using-key-chain/1070)._