VSRP-Aware Security Features

The VSRP-aware security feature protects against unauthorized VSRP Hello packets by enabling you to configure VSRP-aware security parameters. Without VSRP-aware security, a VSRP-aware device passively learns the authentication method conveyed by the received VSRP Hello packet. The VSRP-aware device then stores the authentication method until it ages out with the VRID record entry.

The VSRP-aware security feature enables you to perform the following:

• Define the specific authentication parameters that a VSRP-aware device will use on a VSRP Backup switch. The authentication parameters that you define will not age out.
• Define a list of ports that have authentic VSRP Backup switch connections. For ports included in the list, the VSRP-aware switch will process VSRP Hello packets using the VSRP-aware security configuration. Conversely, for ports not included in the list, the VSRP-aware switch will not use the VSRP-aware security processing.

If the Hello packets do not meet the acceptance criteria, the VSRP-aware device forwards the packets normally, without any VSRP-aware security processing.