> Source: [sk101332](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk101332)

# sk101332 - "Authentication failure" error when authenticating with TACACS+ user that has special characters in their password

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk101332 |
| Date Created | 2014-06-16 |
| Last Modified | 2023-04-26 |
| Technical Level | General |
| Products | Security Gateway, Security Management Server, Multi-Domain Security Management Server |
| Versions | R82.10, R82, R81.20, R82.10, R82, R81.20, R82.10, R81.20, R82 |
| OS | Gaia |

## Symptoms

- * "`Authentication failure`" error when authenticating with TACACS user that has special characters (e.g., "$"."\*" sign) in their password and the "`Enable TACACS+ authentication`" option is enabled in Gaia Portal ('User Management' pane - 'Authentication Servers').
* Login in Gaia Clish for the same TACACS+ user works correctly.

## Solution

This problem was fixed. The fix is included in:

* [Check Point R80.30](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk144293)
* [Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator for R80.20](https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails=&solutionid=sk137592) from Take 117
* [Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator for R80.10](https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails=&solutionid=sk116380) from Take 245

For **other [supported](https://www.checkpoint.com/support-services/support-life-cycle-policy) versions** , Check Point can supply a **Hotfix** . [Contact Check Point Support](https://www.checkpoint.com/support-services/contact-support/) to get a Hotfix for this issue.  
A Support Engineer will make sure the Hotfix is compatible with your environment before providing the Hotfix.  
For faster resolution and verification, please collect [CPinfo files](http://supportcontent.checkpoint.com/solutions?id=sk92739) from the Security Management Server and Security Gateways involved in the case.

**Code was improved:** Special characters "`<`", "`>`", "`&`", and "`;`" in the password of a TACACS+ user will be accepted by Gaia Portal.

A ***manual*** fix is also available:

1. Close the Gaia Portal (if it is open in a web browser).

2. Connect to the command line on the Gaia OS machine.

3. Log in to the Expert mode.

4. Backup the current */web/cgi-bin2/enable.tcl* file:

   **`[Expert@HostName:0]# cp -v /web/cgi-bin2/enable.tcl /web/cgi-bin2/enable.tcl_ORIGINAL`**
5. Edit the current */web/cgi-bin2/enable.tcl* file:

   **`[Expert@HostName:0]# vi /web/cgi-bin2/enable.tcl`**
6. Add the variable "*ALLOWED_KEYS_WITH_SPECIAL_CHARS*" in the following place:

   Change:

   |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
   | From                                                                                                                                                          | To                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
   | ``` namespace eval ::enable { set err_list [list] ... ... errorOut "Unable to connect to database ${myDb}" } ipso -nohtml set method [get_Method] ... ... ``` | ``` namespace eval ::enable { set err_list [list] ... ... errorOut "Unable to connect to database ${myDb}" } set env(ALLOWED_KEYS_WITH_SPECIAL_CHARS) "passwd" ipso -nohtml set method [get_Method] ... ... ``` |

7. Save the changes in the file and exit from Vi editor.

**Related solution:** [sk109148 - List of allowed ASCII characters for passwords on Gaia OS](https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails=&solutionid=sk109148)

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