Thanks for that clarification. It's not so cut and dry, I see. About this: "... and don't even bother to build fipscanister.o"... Then on what grounds could they claim FIPS compliance?
Dave -----Original Message----- From: owner-openssl-us...@openssl.org [mailto:owner-openssl-us...@openssl.org] On Behalf Of Jeffrey Walton Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 3:57 PM To: openssl-users@openssl.org Subject: Re: OpenSSL/FIPS Object Module and FIPS compliance - testing some assertions On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 3:25 PM, mclellan, dave <dave.mclel...@emc.com> wrote: > ... > We are starting our FIPS implementation soon (FIPS OM 2.0 and OpenSSL 1.0.1) > and I’d like to test out this set of assumptions (or maybe they are > ‘assertions’) > > - In the context of OpenSSL, FIPS compliance is all about algorithm > choice. In FIPS mode (FIPS_mode_set() returns success), weaker algorithms > are disabled and OpenSSL returns an error if use of them is attempted in > FIPS mode. > > - As long as one side of the connection insists that FIPS-approved > algorithms be used, and as long as the other side is capable and agrees, > then the two negotiate only a FIPS-approved algorithm. This is not entirely correct. Its algorithm and application. For example, MD5 is withdrawn so its no longer a FIPS approved algorithm per se. However, its still allowed in SSL/TLS where its used as a PRF (without the need for collision resistance). The MD5 and SSL/TLS exemption is stated in NIST Special Publication 800-90. The TLS 1.0 and 1.1 KDF is approved when the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The TLS 1.0 and 1.1 KDF is performed in the context of the TLS protocol. (2) SHA-1 and HMAC are as specified in FIPS 180-3 and 198-1, respectively. Note that MD5 and HMAC-MD5 shall not be used as a general hash function or HMAC function, respectively. FIPS compliance/acceptance testing is another can of worms. I've been in shops where the folks claim to be FIPS based on OpenSSL, yet they don't even bother to build fipscanister.o. Sigh.... Jeff ______________________________________________________________________ OpenSSL Project http://www.openssl.org User Support Mailing List openssl-users@openssl.org Automated List Manager majord...@openssl.org :��I"Ϯ��r�m���� (����Z+�K �+����1���x ��h����[�z�(����Z+� ��f�y������ �f���h��)z{,���
