The cleartext password used as an OSPF authentication key when simplePassword security is enabled. This object does not access any OSPF cryptogaphic (e.g., MD5) authentication key under any circumstance. If the key length is shorter than 8 octets, the agent will left adjust and zero fill to 8 octets.

Unauthenticated interfaces need no authentication key, and simple password authentication cannot use a key of more than 8 octets.

Note that the use of simplePassword authentication is NOT recommended when there is concern regarding attack upon the OSPF system. SimplePassword authentication is only sufficient to protect against accidental misconfigurations because it re-uses cleartext passwords. [RFC1704]

When read, rlOspfIfAuthKey always returns an octet string of length zero.