Banner - Message Of The Day (MOTD)

Setting up a Banner or Message of the Day (MOTD)

Setting up a banner or Message of the Day (MOTD) on your Cisco devices is an important security and administrative practice. A banner provides information to users connecting to your device, whether they're legitimate administrators or unauthorized individuals attempting access.

Types of Banners

Cisco devices support several types of banners:

• MOTD Banner - Displayed to all users before login
• Login Banner - Displayed after MOTD but before username prompt
• Exec Banner - Displayed after successful login

Configuring the MOTD Banner

The most commonly used banner is the MOTD (Message of the Day). Here's how to configure it:

Router(config)# banner motd #
Enter TEXT message. End with the character '#'.
WARNING: Unauthorized access is prohibited!
This system is for authorized users only.
All activities are monitored and logged.
#

The # symbol is used as a delimiter to mark the beginning and end of the banner message. You can use any character as a delimiter, but make sure it doesn't appear in your banner text.

Alternative Delimiter Examples

Router(config)# banner motd $
Enter TEXT message. End with the character '$'.
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
$

Or using a different delimiter:

Router(config)# banner motd @
Enter TEXT message. End with the character '@'.
Company XYZ Network Equipment
Authorized Access Only
@

Viewing the Banner

Once configured, the banner will be displayed whenever someone connects to the device via console, telnet, or SSH:

WARNING: Unauthorized access is prohibited!
This system is for authorized users only.
All activities are monitored and logged.

User Access Verification

Username:

Best Practices for Banner Messages

• Keep it concise - Don't make the banner too long or users will ignore it
• Include legal warnings - Clearly state that unauthorized access is prohibited
• Avoid revealing system information - Don't include device hostnames, software versions, or network details
• Be professional - The banner represents your organization

Removing a Banner

To remove a banner, use the no command:

Router(config)# no banner motd

Security Considerations

A well-crafted banner serves multiple purposes:

• Legal protection by establishing that the system is private property
• Deterrent to unauthorized users
• Professional appearance for legitimate users
• Compliance with organizational security policies

Remember that banners are part of your first line of defense and should be implemented on all network devices as part of your security baseline configuration.