Description

This article explains the difference between authentication/privacy-key and authentication/privacy-password used in the SNMP v3 configuration.

Symptoms

If you use 'privacy-key' with an unencrypted value or 'privacy-password' with encrypted value, the SNMP server will not be able to poll the device. 
The SNMP statistics on the device will show 'wrong digest' incrementing.

Solution

For complete SNMP v3 config, please refer KB22048 [juniper.net].

The 'privacy-key' knob should be used when you want to configure an encrypted value and 

the 'privacy-password' knob must be used when you want to configure a plain-text password which is encrypted by SRX post configuration.

Similar logic is applicable for 'authentication-key' and 'authentication-password'


Please refer below:

# set snmp v3 usm local-engine user snmp privacy-des ?

Possible completions:

+ apply-groups    Groups from which to inherit configuration data

+ apply-groups-except Don't inherit configuration data from these groups

 privacy-key     Encrypted key used for user privacy

 privacy-password  User's privacy password

 

# set snmp v3 usm local-engine user snmp authentication-sha authentication-password abcdef123

# set snmp v3 usm local-engine user snmp privacy-des privacy-password abcdef123         

 

# show | compare 

[edit]

+ snmp {

+   v3 {

+     usm {

+       local-engine {

+         user snmp {

+           authentication-sha {

+             authentication-key "$9$hAySKM7-VoZUevZUiHmPQFn9Cu1IcyevOBX7-b2gTzF3ApRhSKvLSy24oaUD.P5F9ABIEKW

LyrK87Nbw24aZikqmfTQnYgFn/9OBxN-b4aJGDiHm2gFn"; ## SECRET-DATA

+           }

+           privacy-des {

+             privacy-key "$9$Uvj.PFn/OIEqmIESyKvLxNVb2aJDiqm4oQFn9pu8Xx7wYZUj.mTjip0OBEhevWxVwoJG.fTiH.5F39

Cp0BISrlKM8LNtu"; ## SECRET-DATA

+           }

+         }

+       }

+     }

+   }

+ }

Modification History

2023-10-03: Article Created

2024-04-24: Article updated with EX