Authorization code

The use of an authorization code to transfer command of a starship from one captain to another

The command authorization code (or simply 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, 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, and ejecting a warp core. (Star Trek: First Contact; VOY: "Deadlock", "Dreadnought", "Cathexis", "Renaissance Man"; TNG: "Chain of Command, Part I")

Starfleet

In Starfleet, the style of code varies from decade to decade. In 2365, the code was a long sequence of numbers, letters from the Human Greek and English alphabet pronounced phonetically and colors. By the following year, the code standardized to a form used from that point on. Typically, this would involve the user's name, Greek letters, and numbers. Codes are 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")

Examples aboard USS Enterprise-D and -E

• 2365: "Omicron-Omicron-Alpha-Yellow-Daystar-2-7" (TNG: "Unnatural Selection")
• 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")
• 2367: "La Forge Theta-2-9-9-7" (TNG: "The Mind's Eye")
• 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")
• 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 Five Seven Nine" (DS9: "Whispers")
• 2370: "Bashir-1-Alpha" (DS9: "The Wire")
• 2371: "9-2-1-8-Black" (DS9: "Second Skin")
• 2371: "Garak-1-3-5-9" (DS9: "Civil Defense")
• 2371: "Dukat-5-1-1-6-Green" (DS9: "Civil Defense")
• 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")

Examples aboard USS Voyager

Aboard the USS Voyager, authorization codes optionally included colors and clearance levels.

• 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")
• 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

• In the Communications Research Center in 2376: "Barclay-Alpha-1-7-Gamma" (VOY: "Pathfinder")
• When Captain Jonathan Archer identified himself to the Interspecies Medical Exchange receptionist in 2151: "Starfleet authorization alpha six four" (ENT: "Shockwave")
• "Ensign authorization code, 9-5-Viktor-Viktor-2" Pavel Chekov (Star Trek)

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 are somewhat customizable in that high-ranking officers can add additional security checks to restrict use of their security clearances.

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")

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")

Authorization code bypass

In 2372 Neelix was able to gain access to Tom Paris's computer with an engineering authorization code (Engineering-Authorization-Omega-4-7) without the proper voiceprint of Paris. (VOY: "Investigations")

See also

• Security clearance