netconf-node-topology:login-password/password is supposed to keep the encrypted password of a NETCONF device. However, in some cases a password saved in field may work even if it's not properly encrypted because AAAEncryptionService.decrypt may return the original password when decryption fails.

For example, the following request with unencrypted password

makes controller attempt to establish a NETCONF session with adminadmin as the password after failing to decrypt the password:

In this case the connection failed because the password is incorrect. But there are many cases where the correct unencrypted password works.

This behavior encourages keeping unencrypted password in the configuration because it may not discovered or it may be simply ignored because it works. Also, this may cause confusion since some may work but some may not.

So the device should not be activated when decryption fails to mitigate the issue.