WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, Version 6.0.x     Operating Systems: AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows

Configuring Federal Information Processing Standard Java Secure Socket Extension files

Why and when to perform this task

In WebSphere Application Server Version 6, 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.
WebSphere Application Server provides a FIPS-approved IBMJCEFIPS provider that IBMJSSE2 can utilize. The IBMJCEFIPS provider shipped in WebSphere Application Server Version 6 supports the following SSL ciphers:
  • SSL_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
  • SSL_RSA_WITH_3DES_EDE_CBC_SHA
  • SSL_RSA_FIPS_WITH_3DES_EDE_CBC_SHA
  • SSL_DHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
  • SSL_DHE_RSA_WITH_3DES_EDE_CBC_SHA
  • SSL_DHE_DSS_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
  • SSL_DHE_DSS_WITH_3DES_EDE_CBC_SHA
  • SSL_DH_anon_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
  • SSL_DH_anon_WITH_3DES_EDE_CBC_SHA

Even though the IBMJSSEFIPS provider is still present, the runtime does not use this provider. If IBMJSSEFIPS is specified as a contextProvider, WebSphere Application Server automatically defaults to the IBMJSSE2 provider (with the IBMJCEFIPS provider) for supporting FIPS in Version 6. When enabling FIPS in the server Global Security Panel, the runtime always uses IBMJSSE2. despite whatever contextProvider you specify 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 Version 6 because an administrator only needs to enable the FIPS flag in the Global Security Panel to enable all transports using SSL.

Steps for this task

  1. Click Security > Global Security. Select the Use the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) option and click OK. IBMJSSE2 and IBMJCEFIPS is enabled.
  2. If you have a Java client that must access enterprise beans, change the com.ibm.security.useFIPS property value from false to true in the install_dir/profiles/profile_name/properties/sas.client.props file.
  3. If you have an administrative client using the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) connector, modify the install_dir/profiles/profile_name/properties/soap.client.props file on the administrative client and set the following property:
    #com.ibm.ssl.contextProvider=IBMJSSE2
    com.ibm.ssl.contextProvider=IBMJSSEFIPS
    

    You are using an administrative client if you use the startServer.sh or stopServer.sh.

    Note: Note: Specifying IBMJSSEFIPS indicates that the client wants to be in FIPS mode, and the runtime uses the IBMJSSE2 provider in combination with the IBMJCEFIPS provider.
  4. The IBMJCEFIPS provider must be in the java.security file provider list. Edit the existing java.security file to look like the following if you are using the IBM JDK:
    #security.provider.1=com.ibm.crypto.fips.provider.IBMJCEFIPS
    security.provider.1=com.ibm.crypto.provider.IBMJCE
    security.provider.2=com.ibm.jsse.IBMJSSEProvider
    security.provider.3=com.ibm.jsse2.IBMJSSEProvider2
    security.provider.4=com.ibm.security.jgss.IBMJGSSProvider
    security.provider.5=com.ibm.security.cert.IBMCertPath
    #security.provider.6=com.ibm.crypto.pkcs11.provider.IBMPKCS11
    If you are using the Sun or the HP JDKs, the java.security file should look like the following:
    security.provider.1=com.ibm.security.cert.IBMCertPath
    security.provider.2=com.ibm.security.jgss.IBMJGSSProvider
    security.provider.3=sun.security.provider.Sun
    #security.provider.4=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.crypto.pkcs11.provider.IBMPKCS11

Result

After completing these steps, a FIPS-approved JSSE or JCE provider offers increased encryption capabilities. However, when you use FIPS-approved providers:
Note: 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 are the FIPS 140-2 approved cryptographic providers:
  • IBMJCEFIPS (certificate 376)
  • IBMJSSEFIPS (certificate 409)
  • IBM Cryptography for C (ICC) (certificate 384)
The relevant certificates are listed on the NIST Web site: Cryptographic Module Validation Program FIPS 140-1 and FIPS 140-2 Pre-validation List



Related tasks
Creating a Secure Sockets Layer repertoire configuration entry

Related reference
Global security settings

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

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Last updated: Mar 17, 2005 4:28:29 AM CST
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/ws60help/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websphere.nd.doc/info/ae/ae/tsec_fips.html

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