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.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
#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.
#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
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:com.ibm.ssl.contextProvider=IBMJSSEFIPS
Related tasks
Creating a Secure Sockets Layer repertoire configuration entry
Configuring Secure Sockets Layer
Related reference
Global security settings
Related information
Cryptographic Module Validation
Program FIPS 140-1 and FIPS 140-2 Pre-validation List