Cisco : Port Security

Is this frame from a trusted Source? That is the question!

As I continue my CCNP studies, I near the end of the CCNP Switch Course, this is a topic that was covered in the CCNA, and I haven’t really touched it since, so here is a refresher.

A port enabled with port security will expect to see frames sourced from a particular MAC address or group of MAC addresses, if the switch receives a frame from a MAC address it does not have listed the port takes action according to the violation mode that is set. The violation mode by default is to shutdown the port.

Enable Port Security

*You can only enable port security on a edge port, so that means that port can never become a trunk port*

tpw-sw1(conf)# int gi0/1
tpw-sw1(config-int)#switchport mode access
tpw-sw1(config-int)#switchport access vlan 10
tpw-sw1(config-int)#switchport port-security

Confirm it is working and information gathering

tpw-sw1# show port-security
tpw-sw1# show port-security address
tpw-sw1# show port-security interface gi0/1

More Port Security options

tpw-sw1(conf)# int gi0/1
tpw-sw1(config-int) switchport port-security ?
          aging - Port-security aging commands
          mac-address  - Secure mac address
          maximum - Max secure addresses
          violation - Security violation mode
tpw-sw1(config-int) switchport port-security maximum <1-6144>
tpw-sw1(config-int) switchport port-security violation ?
          protect - Security violation protect mode (drops the offending frames )
          restrict - Security violation restrict mode (drops, creates log messages, but port remains active )
          shutdown - Security violation shutdown mode (default will put the port into err-disabled (fix problem first and shut, no shut))
tpw-sw1(config-int) switchport port-security mac-address ?
         H.H.H - 48 bit mac address
         sticky - Configure dynamic secure addresses as sticky (dynamic addresses but kept on switch reload )
tpw-sw1(config-int) switchport port-security aging ?
         time Port-security aging time
         type Port-security aging type

This is just the very basics of Port Security, there is similar implementations on all switches I have worked with.

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