PXESERVA/SYSLINUX Password Hash Calculator

Password protecting PXESERVA/SYSLINUX menu entries requires adding the "MENU PASWD" statement to the menu configuration file. This statement takes as argument a plain password or an encrypted password. You should never use plain passwords. i.e.

a) Serva automatically created "Windows 7" menu item

LABEL WIA_WDS\w8_32\
 menu label  ^  2) Windows 7, x86
 kernel  pxechain.cbt
 append  ::WIA_WDS\w8_32\_SERVA_\pxeboot.n12

b) Manually customized (now password protected) "Windows 8" menu item

LABEL WIA_WDS\w8_32\
 menu label  ^  2) Windows 7, x86
 menu passwd $4$s3b2l3i9$Y5PYcq7Gc8l0fhjNEU11KsdeX8o$
 kernel  pxechain.cbt
 append  ::WIA_WDS\w8_32\_SERVA_\pxeboot.n12

Where the highlighted argument is in this case the SHA1 encrypted form of the chosen menu item password or passphrase. A valid hash has to be calculated following anyone of the SYSLINUX MD5/SHA1/SHA256/SHA512 conventions and it can be done right here by using the following "off-line" hash calculator.

	- PXESERVA/SYSLINUX Hash Calculator -
Password
MD5
SHA1
SHA2/256
SHA2/512

 

Notes

Even when the calculated hash uses a randomly generated 8 character "salt", which makes password recovery from its hash very difficult if not impossible, all the good practices for password selection still apply. The different hashes are presented in increasing order of security. This hash calculator is a Java script that can be easily downloaded for analysis if required. Once this page is loaded the script is able to work off-line (disconnected from Internet) this way you can rest assured this page does not send your install menu password anywhere.