An authorization code was an alphanumeric sequence used by militaries and civilian agencies to allow access to certain command protocols and restricted information. These codes were also known as a voice authorization code, security code, command code, command authorization code, access code, or simply password.
Some of the many uses of authorization codes including: activating and canceling auto-destruct sequences, transferring of command of a starship, accessing secured locations, ejecting a warp core, resetting primary and secondary computer systems. (Star Trek: First Contact; DS9: "Through the Looking Glass"; VOY: "Deadlock", "Dreadnought", "Cathexis", "Renaissance Man"; TNG: "Chain Of Command, Part I"; DIS: "That Hope Is You, Part 2")
Earth[]
During the 1990s, Chronowerx Industries computers might include a password feature. (VOY: "Future's End")
Starfleet[]
In Starfleet, the style of code varied from decade to decade. In 2365, the code was a long sequence of numbers, letters from the Human Greek and English alphabets pronounced phonetically, and colors. By the following year, the code was standardized to a form used from that point on. Typically, this included the user's name, Greek letters, and numbers. Codes were changed on a regular basis to prevent sabotage and security breaches.
Doctor Kila Marr isolated the access code of the science station on the bridge of the USS Enterprise-D, thereby making it impossible to turn off the graviton pulse that was destroying the Crystalline Entity. (TNG: "Silicon Avatar")
Security clearances could be deleted, as Tuvok did when he believed he was no longer fit for duty. (VOY: "Meld")
Command codes could be transferred and divided among different parties if a relevant situation arose. When Voyager was apparently being 'haunted' by a non-corporeal entity that could possess humanoids, Janeway temporarily transferred her command codes to The Doctor, as a hologram would be immune to the entity's influence; while the Doctor would not actually be in command of Voyager, he would have the authority to countermand any orders Janeway made that he could attribute to the entity's influence. When the entity deactivated the Doctor's program, the command codes automatically reverted back to Janeway. Janeway then attempted to deal with the entity by dividing her command codes between herself and Tuvok, as the entity couldn't influence two people at once, but this proved to be a bad move as the 'entity' was actually Chakotay's discorporated consciousness trying to direct Voyager away from a nebula inhabited by a race of entities that drained neural energy, one of which had possessed Tuvok. (VOY: "Cathexis")
Examples aboard USS Enterprise-D and -E[]
- 2365: "Omicron-Omicron-Alpha-Yellow-Daystar-2-7" (TNG: "Unnatural Selection")
- 2365: "Theta-Alpha-Two-Seven-Three-Seven-Blue" (TNG: "The Measure Of A Man")
- 2366: "Computer, key access 4-1-2-Mark-8-0. Picard, Jean-Luc. Starfleet priority code gamma. Decode" (TNG: "The Defector")
- 2366/2367: "La Forge Theta-2-9-9-7" (TNG: "Tin Man", "The Mind's Eye")
- 2367: "1-7-3-4-6-7-3-2-1-4-7-6-Charlie-3-2-7-8-9-7-7-7-6-4-3-Tango-7-3-2-Victor-7-3-1-1-7-8-8-8-7-3-2-4-7-6-7-8-9-7-6-4-3-7-6" (TNG: "Brothers")
- 2367: "Kappa-Alpha-4-6-0-1-7-0-4" (TNG: "Data's Day")
- 2368: "Riker-Omega-3" (TNG: "Power Play")
- 2369: "Picard-Delta-5" (TNG: "Chain Of Command, Part I")
- 2369: "Jellico-Alpha-3-1" (TNG: "Chain Of Command, Part II")
- 2369: "Picard-Epsilon-7-9-3" (TNG: "Ship In A Bottle")
- 2369: "Moriarty-Alpha-2-4-1-5-9" (TNG: "Ship In A Bottle")
- 2369: "Riker-Alpha-6-0" (TNG: "Rightful Heir")
- 2369: "Picard-Gamma-6-0-7-3" (TNG: "Starship Mine")
- 2370: "Troi-Omega-Omega-3-1" (TNG: "Thine Own Self")
- 2370: "Troi-Delta-2-9" (TNG: "Eye of the Beholder")
- 2373: "Picard-4-7-Alpha-Tango" (Star Trek: First Contact)
- 2373: "Crusher-2-2-Beta-Charlie" (Star Trek: First Contact)
- 2373: "Worf-3-7-Gamma-Echo" (Star Trek: First Contact)
- 2379: "Picard, authorization Alpha-Alpha-3-0-5" (Star Trek Nemesis)
Examples aboard Deep Space 9 and USS Defiant[]
- Aboard Deep Space 9 and USS Defiant, authorization codes optionally included an action word related to the request being made.
- 2369: "4-1-2-1- Doctor Julian Bashir" (DS9: "The Passenger")
- 2370: "O'Brien Epsilon Alpha Molly 5-7-9" (DS9: "Whispers")
- 2370: "Bashir-1-Alpha" (DS9: "The Wire")
- 2371: "9-2-1-8-Black" (DS9: "Second Skin")
- 2371: "Kira-Delta-5-4-7-Alpha" (DS9: "Defiant")
- 2371: "Sisko-Alpha-1-Alpha" (DS9: "The Adversary")
- 2371: "Kira-Beta-2-Beta" (DS9: "The Adversary")
- 2371: "Sisko-1-5-Destruct" (DS9: "The Adversary")
- 2371: "Sisko-Omega-1-7-Abort" (DS9: "The Adversary")
- 2372: "Eddington-0-6-5-Alpha-Enable" (DS9: "Our Man Bashir")
- 2373: "Kira-1-5-7-Alpha" (DS9: "The Darkness and the Light")
- 2373: "Sisko-A-4-7-1" (DS9: "Blaze of Glory")
- 2374: "Sisko-7-1-Green" (DS9: "Resurrection")
- 2375: "Bashir-Delta-5-7-Alpha" (DS9: "Chrysalis")
Examples aboard USS Voyager[]
- Aboard the USS Voyager, authorization codes optionally included colors and clearance levels.
- 2371: "937-0176 CE", Seska's security code (VOY: "State of Flux")
- 2371: "Janeway-8-4-1-Alpha-6-5" (VOY: "Cathexis")
- 2372: "Janeway-Pi-1-1-0" (VOY: "Dreadnought", "Deadlock")
- 2372: "Engineering authorization Omega-4-7" (VOY: "Investigations")
Neelix was able to gain access to Tom Paris's computer with this engineering authorization code without the proper voiceprint of Paris.
- 2372: "Tuvok-1-4-9-4-Lambda" (VOY: "Meld")
- 2373: "Janeway-Lambda-3" (VOY: "Coda")
- 2373: "Tuvok-4-7-7-4" (VOY: "Worst Case Scenario")
- 2373: Seska: "Zeta-1" (VOY: "Worst Case Scenario")
- 2374: "Janeway-Pi-1-1-0" (VOY: "Concerning Flight")
- 2374: "Tuvok-Theta-9" (VOY: "Waking Moments")
- 2374: "Janeway-1-1-5-3-Red, Clearance level: 10" (VOY: "The Omega Directive")
- 2374: "Torres-Omega 5-9-3" (VOY: "Day of Honor")
- 2375: "Seven of Nine-Omega-Phi-9-3" (VOY: "Course: Oblivion")
- 2376/2377: "Tuvok-Pi-Alpha" (VOY: "The Haunting of Deck Twelve", "Repression", "Lineage")
- 2377: "Janeway-Omega-3" (VOY: "Workforce")
- 2378: "Tuvok-Sigma-4" (VOY: "Renaissance Man")
- 2378: "ECH-Omega-4-2" (VOY: "Renaissance Man")
Other examples[]
- 2151: Jonathan Archer identified himself to the Interspecies Medical Exchange receptionist: "Starfleet authorization Alpha-6-4" (ENT: "Shockwave")
- 2257: Katrina Cornwell initiated a command-level override on the USS Discovery: "pi beta six." (DIS: "The War Without, The War Within")
- 2258: Pavel Chekov made a ship-wide mission broadcast: "Ensign authorization code, 9-5-Viktor-Viktor-2" (Star Trek)
- 2259: Spock overrode security protocol Omega-Beta-Nine on the USS Enterprise: "Spock gamma-delta-two" (SNW: "The Serene Squall")
- 2259: Christopher Pike transferred all command functions to the Communications Station on the bridge of the USS Peregrine: "two-four-six-eight-ten" (SNW: "All Those Who Wander")
- 2259: Christopher Pike authorized Chief Jay to transport crate 32 in-ship to the Captain's ready room on the USS Enterprise: Pike epsilon C-6 (SNW: "Hegemony")
- 2364: several mission orders called for the acknowledgement of an order through "security code 045, code 100 alpha." (TNG: "Conspiracy")
- 2376: Reginald Barclay activated a holodeck at the Communications Research Center: "Barclay-Alpha-1-7-Gamma" (VOY: "Pathfinder")
- 2381: Beckett Mariner used Carol Freeman's to take over the USS Passaro: "06107.2" (LD: "Old Friends, New Planets")
- 2383: "Chakotay, Zulu, X-ray, X-ray, dash, 4, 7, 5" (PRO: "Time Amok")
- 2384: Dal R'El's command code on the USS Protostar was GB64N32X which he gave to Hologram Janeway so that she could have command level authorization of the ship (PRO: "Ghost in the Machine", "Supernova, Part 2")
- 2401: Liam Shaw temporarily transferred command of the USS Titan-A to William Riker: "Shaw 12-11 Bravo Delta" (PIC: "Seventeen Seconds")
- 2401: William Riker returned command back of the USS Titan-A to Liam Shaw: "Riker-3-8 alpha, echo" (PIC: "Imposters")
- 3189: Michael Burnham reset the primary and secondary computer systems on the Discovery: "Burnham Gamma six-zero-two Epsilon Echo." (DIS: "That Hope Is You, Part 2")
Bajoran[]
The storage lockers in the assay office aboard Deep Space 9 were secured by personal authorization codes. (DS9: "Q-Less")
Cardassian[]
Cardassian authorization codes were somewhat customizable in that high-ranking officers could add additional security checks to restrict use of their security clearances. Cardassian authorization codes were coupled with a clearance level from 1 up to 9. They could also be stated with a priority override. (DS9: "Civil Defense")
S.G. Dukat added several such subroutines to his counter-insurgency program aboard Terok Nor; when Elim Garak attempted to imitate Dukat to shut down the program, it constantly challenged Garak to prove his identity. When Dukat later attempted to beam back to his ship while the program was running, however, he discovered one of his superiors had altered the program to prevent Dukat from escaping in the event of a Bajoran revolt. (DS9: "Civil Defense")
- 2371: "Alpha Red priority mission" A security clearance used to denote a top-secret mission that is stated with a clearance verification. (DS9: "Second Skin")
- 2371: "This is a priority one override. Clearance level 9. Authorization Dukat-5-1-1-6-Green" Used by Gul Dukat in an attempt to abort the self-destruct sequence. (DS9: "Civil Defense")
- 2371: "Garak-1-3-5-9" Allowed Garak to temporarily deactivate the force fields placed by the counter-insurgency program in level 2, permitting only him to move around the station. (DS9: "Civil Defense")
Security identification[]
A security identification, also known as a security ID code, was a Cardassian identifier used while hailing a Cardassian vessel over a comm channel. It was to be spoken after the individual stated his or her name, for the person on the other end to have proof of legitimacy in order verify that person was really who they said they were.
- 2370: "This is Gul Dukat, security identification ADL-4-0" (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I")
Clearance verification[]
A clearance verification was a type of verification assigned by the Cardassian Central Command to clear a person on a top secret mission from inspection by a Cardassian patrol. The patrol would enter the clearance verification into the computer, which would state "clearance code verified". The notation would be "Clearance verification" followed by four numbers and a color. Elim Garak overheard someone stating their clearance verification at some point, and used it to convince a patrol that he and Benjamin Sisko were on a top-secret mission for the Central Command.
- 2371: "Clearance verification-9-2-1-8-Black" (DS9: "Second Skin")
Ferengi[]
In order to access communications aboard D'Kora-class, the DaiMon's authorization was required for all transmissions. The access code of DaiMon Tog, the commander of the Krayton, was (in part) "Keh-ee Yoor-ee Dah-teh-ee…" (TNG: "Ménage à Troi")
Klingon[]
A defense access code was a message that, when transmitted, caused the defensive systems of the Khitomer outpost to become inoperative. (TNG: "Sins of The Father")
Other[]
3188: the access code to Cleveland Booker's ship: "sticky" (DIS: "That Hope Is You, Part 1")
See also[]
External link[]
- Authorization code at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works