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Configure Federal Information Processing Standard Java Secure Socket Extension files

 

Use this topic to configure Federal Information Processing Standard Java Secure Socket Extension files.

 

Overview

In WAS, the Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE) provider used is the IBMJSSE2 provider. This provider delegates encryption and signature functions to the Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) provider. Consequently, IBMJSSE2 does not need to be Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS)-approved because it does not perform cryptography. However, the JCE provider requires FIPS-approval.WAS provides a FIPS-approved IBMJCEFIPS provider that IBMJSSE2 can utilize. The IBMJCEFIPS provider that is shipped in WAS V6.1 supports the following SSL ciphers:

Even though the IBMJSSEFIPS provider is still present, the runtime does not use this provider. If IBMJSSEFIPS is specified as a contextProvider, WAS automatically defaults to the IBMJSSE2 provider (with the IBMJCEFIPS provider) for supporting FIPS. When enabling the Use the United States Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) algorithms option on the server SSL certificate and key management panel, the runtime always uses IBMJSSE2, despite the contextProvider specified for SSL (IBMJSSE, IBMJSSE2 or IBMJSSEFIPS). Also, because FIPS requires the SSL protocol be TLS, the runtime always uses TLS when FIPS is enabled, regardless of the SSL protocol setting in the SSL repertoire. This simplifies the FIPS configuration in V6.1 because an administrator needs to enable only the Use the United States Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) algorithms option on the server SSL certificate and key management panel to enable all transports using SSL.

 

Procedure

  1. Click Security > SSL certificate and key management.

  2. Select the Use the United States Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) algorithms option and click Apply. This option makes IBMJSSE2 and IBMJCEFIPS the active providers.

  3. Accommodate Java clients that must access enterprise beans.

    Change the com.ibm.security.useFIPS property value from false to true in the profile_root/properties/ssl.client.props file.

  4. Ensure that the java.security includes the provider.

    Edit the java.security file to insert the IBMJCEFIPS provider (com.ibm.crypto.fips.provider.IBMJCEFIPS) before the IBMJCE provider, and also renumber the other providers in the provider list. The IBMJCEFIPS provider must be in the java.security file provider list.

    The java.security file is located in the WASHOME/java/jre/lib/security directory. The IBM SDK java.security file looks like the following example after completing this step: 

    security.provider.1=com.ibm.crypto.fips.provider.IBMJCEFIPS security.provider.2=com.ibm.crypto.provider.IBMJCE security.provider.3=com.ibm.jsse.IBMJSSEProvider security.provider.4=com.ibm.jsse2.IBMJSSEProvider2 security.provider.5=com.ibm.security.jgss.IBMJGSSProvider security.provider.6=com.ibm.security.cert.IBMCertPath security.provider.7=com.ibm.crypto.pkcs11.provider.IBMPKCS11 security.provider.8=com.ibm.security.cmskeystore.CMSProvider security.provider.9=com.ibm.security.jgss.mech.spnego.IBMSPNEGO
    If you are using the Sun JDK, the java.security file looks like the following example after completing this step: 

    security.provider.1=sun.security.provider.Sun security.provider.2=com.ibm.security.jgss.IBMJGSSProvider security.provider.3=com.ibm.crypto.fips.provider.IBMJCEFIPS security.provider.4=com.ibm.crypto.provider.IBMJCE security.provider.5=com.ibm.jsse.IBMJSSEProvider security.provider.6=com.ibm.jsse2.IBMJSSEProvider2 security.provider.7=com.ibm.security.cert.IBMCertPath security.provider.8=com.ibm.security.cmskeystore.CMSProvider
#security.provider.9=com.ibm.crypto.pkcs11.provider.IBMPKCS11

 

What to do next

After completing these steps, a FIPS-approved JSSE or JCE provider offers increased encryption capabilities. However, when you use FIPS-approved providers:

The following error might occur when you attempt to stop WAS after enabling the FIPS option: 

ADMU3007E: Exception com.ibm.websphere.management.exception.ConnectorException
Uncomment the following entry in the java.security file if it was previously removed or commented out, then restart the server: 

security.provider.2=com.ibm.crypto.provider.IBMJCE
The java.security file is located in the WAS_HOME/java/jre/lib/security directory.

When enabling FIPS, you cannot configure cryptographic token devices in the SSL repertoires. IBMJSSE2 must use IBMJCEFIPS when utilizing cryptographic services for FIPS. The following FIPS 140-2 approved cryptographic providers that are the only devices that are supported with the FIPS option:

The relevant certificates are listed on the NIST Web site: Cryptographic Module Validation Program FIPS 140-1 and FIPS 140-2 Pre-validation List To unconfigure the FIPS provider, reverse the changes that you made in the previous steps. After you reverse the changes, verify that you have made the following changes to the sas.client.props, soap.client.props, and java.security files:

 

Related tasks


Developing extensions to the WebSphere security infrastructure

 

Related Reference


Secure administration, applications, and infrastructure settings

 

Related information


Cryptographic Module Validation Program FIPS 140-1 and FIPS 140-2 Pre-validation List