Users and Application Management - Fips-140-2

Use the Fips-140-2 window to enable FIPS-140-2 mode.

The SBC Core supports FIPS 140-2 level 1 certification for its cryptographic modules. It implements FIPS 140-2 Level 1 validated cryptographic hardware modules and software tool kits and operates this module in FIPS 140-2 approved mode for all cryptographic operations.

The following changes have been made to achieve FIPS 140-2 certification:

• Self-Tests- The SBC implements cryptographic algorithms using software firmware and hardware and the modules perform various self-tests (power-up self-test, conditional self-test, and critical function self-test) to verify their functionality and correctness. If any of the tests fail, the module goes into “Critical Error” state and it disables all access to cryptographic functions and Critical Security Parameters (CSPs). The management interfaces do not respond to any commands until the module is operational. The Crypto Officer must reboot the modules to clear the error and return to normal operational mode.

  Self-tests are performed only when the system is running in FIPS 140-2 mode.

  
  The various self-tests are as follows:

  • Power-Up self-tests- The SBC performs self-tests at power-up to verify the integrity of the firmware images and the correct operation of the FIPS-approved algorithm implementation in the modules
  • Conditional self-tests- The SBC implements conditional self-tests such as Continuous Random Number Generator Tests (CRNGT), RSA Pair-wise Consistency Tests, Firmware Load Tests, and so on.
  • Critical function tests- The SBC implements the SP 800-90A CTR_DRBG as it's random number generator. The SP 800-90A specification requires that certain critical functions be tested conditionally to ensure the security of the DRBG. Therefore, the critical function tests are implemented by the cryptographic modules.

• FIPS Finite State Model- The following diagram demonstrates the SBC states and state transitions that occur within the SBC:

  The ability to change the FIPS  140-2 mode is reserved only for users having Administrator permissions; Administrator is a role in the SBC that may be assigned to a Crypto Officer in a FIPS-compliant system.

• Install/upgrade Software Integrity Check- Software updates or patches that are to be loaded onto the machine are automatically checked for integrity by validating Ribbon provided signature file for the particular package. (See install/upgrade guide). Failure in validation causes the installation/upgrade to be aborted.

• TLS v1.1 and v1.2 support for EMA/PM and SIP/TLS- TLS v1.1 and v1.2 provide resistance to certain known attacks (e.g. the BEAST attack affecting TLS v1.0) against earlier TLS versions and offer additional cipher suites not supported with TLS v1.0.

  Although TLS v1.0 and v1.2 are enabled by default, Ribbon recommends disabling v1.0 (if possible) in favor of the more-secure TLS v1.2, if browser support (for EMA/PM) and SIP peer interoperability (for SIP/TLS) considerations permit.

• Configuration database encryption key regeneration support- The System Administrator can cause the encryption keys used to protect sensitive information in the configuration database to be regenerated.

• SSH key regeneration support- The System Administrator can regenerate the RSA keys used by the SBC to authenticate itself for SFTP and for CLI and netconf over ssh at any time.

Enabling FIPS-140-2 mode

FIPS compliant operating mode is a mode of system operation that is fully compliant with FIPS-140-2 at security level 1+. Putting the system in FIPS-140-2 operating mode requires enabling the fips-140-2 mode parameter as well as configuring other parameters. 

To enable Fips-140-2 mode

1. On the SBC main screen, go to Administration > Users and Application Management > Fips-140-2. The Fips-140-2 window opens.

2. In Admin, select the name of the SBC system. The Edit Fips-140-2 options open.

   Users and Application Management - Fips-140-2

    
3. Use the Mode option to enable Fips-140-2 mode.