Re: OpenSSL 3.0 FIPS module configuration file

[Dr Paul Dale <pauli@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

    Yes, this has to do with the FIPS standards.  I forget which
    standard it is but the self tests are mandated to be run on each
    device independently.
    
    The fipsinstall process runs the self tests before generating the
    configuration file.  If the self tests fail, the module doesn't
    install.  Copying the configuration file across avoids the self
    tests and therefore isn't compliant.
    
    
    Pauli

On 15/2/22 02:25, Richard Dymond wrote:

Hi

Probably a dumb question, but why must the FIPS module configuration file for OpenSSL 3.0 be generated on every machine that it is to be used on (i.e. must not be copied from one machine to another)?

I just ran 'openssl fipsinstall' on two different machines with the same FIPS module and it produced exactly the same output each time, so presumably the reason has nothing to do with the config file being unique to the machine.

Does it have something to do with the FIPS standard itself?

Richard