Add support for FIPS

[gargml]

Hi There,
FIPS is the U.S. government standard of security for cryptography.

No place in this project have indication whether or not it support FIPS for communication with target devices.

will it be possible to add such support ?
Please advise

Many thanks !
Gargml

[darkoperator]

FIPs as a standard only defines a certain set of algorithms that can be used. If enabled on a modern system it will downgrade the security since the standard references old algorithms proven to be vulnerable. In fact Enabling FIPS via GPO on windows breaks a lot of stuff in .Net like AES and SHA256. Why support this?
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/secguide/2014/04/07/why-were-not-recommending-fips-mode-anymore/
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc750357.aspx

If you are referring for the library to be FIPS certified .. that is a lot of money and work. do not know if @drieseng wants to spend the money and time for that.

[vidyasesh22]

I am using SSH.Net version 2016.0.0 and I'm getting the following error when trying to connect to SFTP server
Failed to connect to server. Exception: System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.InvalidOperationException: This implementation is not part of the Windows Platform FIPS validated cryptographic algorithms.
at System.Security.Cryptography.MD5CryptoServiceProvider..ctor()

Does the SSH.Net version 2016.0.0 support FIPS ? is there a work around for this issue?

[darkoperator]

No because FIPS in windows eliminates most modern crypto algorithms making connections insecure so when enabled it cripples .Net crypto APIs used by SSH.Net

…

Sent from my iPhone

On May 8, 2017, at 12:08 PM, vidyasesh22 ***@***.***> wrote: I am using SSH.Net version 2016.0.0 and I'm getting the following error when trying to connect to SFTP server Failed to connect to server. Exception: System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.InvalidOperationException: This implementation is not part of the Windows Platform FIPS validated cryptographic algorithms. at System.Security.Cryptography.MD5CryptoServiceProvider..ctor() Does the SSH.Net version 2016.0.0 support FIPS ? is there a work around for this issue? — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or mute the thread.

[cocowalla]

@darkoperator as much as I agree about the pointlessness of FIPS-mode nowadays, there are, regrettably, plenty organisations that demand it (especially in the defense sector).

Therefore I think it makes sense to use the FIPS-compliant version of algorithms wherever possible - for example, use the FIPS-compliant SHA256CryptoServiceProvider rather than SHA256Managed.

Having said all that, @vidyasesh22, if you have FIPS-mode enabled then you cannot use any implementation of MD5, as MD5 is not a valid FIPS algorithm. Actually, given how broken it is, you really shouldn't be using it at all these days, let alone in a FIPS environment.

[darinkes]

Then these organisations should pay for this pointless feature :)

[mauroa]

Is there any chance of allowing to define which encryption algorithm to use when instantiating things like PrivateKeyFile and PrivateKeyAuthenticationMethod? It's using MD5 as default, which is not FIPS compliant.
I strongly agree that this degrades the performance of the encryption, but maybe letting the library consumers to decide it could get rid the issues that the users with FIPS enables are having.

[27kartik]

I am trying to use RenciSSH.Net for making a SSH connection to a machine/controller. When FIPS is disabled on that machine/controller, I am able to make the connection successfully. However when FIPS is enabled I get an error like "An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine"

exec = new SshClient(controller.Address.ToString(), port, userid, password);
exec.ConnectionInfo.Timeout = new TimeSpan(0, 0, 0, 0, timeoutms);
exec.Connect();

Let me know if you need any information related to this problem. Also, when can we expect the support for FIPS in RenciSsh.Net ?

[mclouden]

"Then these organisations should pay for this pointless feature :)"

From someone at one of those organizations: While I wouldnt even know who to ask to pay for such a feature, what follows is how we modified the project code (minimal) to make it work. Liking or not liking FIPs is not a question - in healthcare everything is supposed to be hardened servers, which means we must live with this. If the changes make sense, and are not impactful to behavior on the wider range of platforms supported by ssh.net, I hope that we will see this support in the official package at some time in the future.

I can just as easily provide the local changes back, assuming I can work out the process.

Assumption: Build setting 'FIPS'

ConnectionInfo constructor:

HmacAlgorithms = new Dictionary<string, HashInfo>
{
#if !FIPS
{"hmac-md5", new HashInfo(168, CryptoAbstraction.CreateHMACMD5)},
{"hmac-md5-96", new HashInfo(168, key => CryptoAbstraction.CreateHMACMD5(key, 96))},
#endif
{"hmac-sha1", new HashInfo(20*8, CryptoAbstraction.CreateHMACSHA1)},
....

CryptoAbstractions:

// CreateMD5 is used in privatekey code. Changed return to base HashAlgorithm
public static System.Security.Cryptography.HashAlgorithm CreateMD5()
{
#if FIPS
return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1CryptoServiceProvider();
#else
return System.Security.Cryptography.MD5.Create();
#endif
}

// Note that thru testing, the basic SHA1.Create will always used Managed, which is not correct. Instead
// explicitly create a new SHA1CSP instance (same pattern follows in remaining changes)

        public static System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1 CreateSHA1()
    {

#if FEATURE_HASH_SHA1_CREATE
#if FIPS
return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1CryptoServiceProvider();
#else
return System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1.Create();
#endif
#elif FEATURE_HASH_SHA1_MANAGED
return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1Managed();
#endif
}

// This is where things get wierd: You would think that SHA256CSP.Create would do what you want
// It doesnt. It creates Managed. Must explicitly new a SHA256CSP instance
public static System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256 CreateSHA256()
{
#if FEATURE_HASH_SHA256_CREATE
#if FIPS
return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256CryptoServiceProvider();
#else
return System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256CryptoServiceProvider.Create();
#endif
#elif FEATURE_HASH_SHA256_MANAGED
return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256Managed();
#endif
}

    public static System.Security.Cryptography.SHA384 CreateSHA384()
    {

#if FEATURE_HASH_SHA384_CREATE
#if FIPS
return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA384CryptoServiceProvider();
#else
return System.Security.Cryptography.SHA384.Create();
#endif
#elif FEATURE_HASH_SHA384_MANAGED
return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA384Managed();
#endif
}

    public static System.Security.Cryptography.SHA512 CreateSHA512()
    {

#if FEATURE_HASH_SHA512_CREATE
#if FIPS
return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA512CryptoServiceProvider();
#else
return System.Security.Cryptography.SHA512.Create();
#endif
#elif FEATURE_HASH_SHA512_MANAGED
return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA512Managed();
#endif
}

[darkoperator]

Not even DOD STIG has FIPS Because it actually downgrades the security of the encryption on the box

…

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 21, 2018, at 9:19 AM, mclouden ***@***.***> wrote: "Then these organisations should pay for this pointless feature :)" From someone at one of those organizations: While I wouldnt even know who to ask to pay for such a feature, what follows is how we modified the project code (minimal) to make it work. Liking or not liking FIPs is not a question - in healthcare everything is supposed to be hardened servers, which means we must live with this. If the changes make sense, and are not impactful to behavior on the wider range of platforms supported by ssh.net, I hope that we will see this support in the official package at some time in the future. I can just as easily provide the local changes back, assuming I can work out the process. Assumption: Build setting 'FIPS' ConnectionInfo constructor: HmacAlgorithms = new Dictionary<string, HashInfo> { #if !FIPS {"hmac-md5", new HashInfo(168, CryptoAbstraction.CreateHMACMD5)}, {"hmac-md5-96", new HashInfo(168, key => CryptoAbstraction.CreateHMACMD5(key, 96))}, #endif {"hmac-sha1", new HashInfo(20*8, CryptoAbstraction.CreateHMACSHA1)}, .... CryptoAbstractions: // CreateMD5 is used in privatekey code. Changed return to base HashAlgorithm public static System.Security.Cryptography.HashAlgorithm CreateMD5() { #if FIPS return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1CryptoServiceProvider(); #else return System.Security.Cryptography.MD5.Create(); #endif } // Note that thru testing, the basic SHA1.Create will always used Managed, which is not correct. Instead // explicitly create a new SHA1CSP instance (same pattern follows in remaining changes) public static System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1 CreateSHA1() { #if FEATURE_HASH_SHA1_CREATE #if FIPS return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1CryptoServiceProvider(); #else return System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1.Create(); #endif #elif FEATURE_HASH_SHA1_MANAGED return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA1Managed(); #endif } // This is where things get wierd: You would think that SHA256CSP.Create would do what you want // It doesnt. It creates Managed. Must explicitly new a SHA256CSP instance public static System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256 CreateSHA256() { #if FEATURE_HASH_SHA256_CREATE #if FIPS return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256CryptoServiceProvider(); #else return System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256CryptoServiceProvider.Create(); #endif #elif FEATURE_HASH_SHA256_MANAGED return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256Managed(); #endif } public static System.Security.Cryptography.SHA384 CreateSHA384() { #if FEATURE_HASH_SHA384_CREATE #if FIPS return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA384CryptoServiceProvider(); #else return System.Security.Cryptography.SHA384.Create(); #endif #elif FEATURE_HASH_SHA384_MANAGED return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA384Managed(); #endif } public static System.Security.Cryptography.SHA512 CreateSHA512() { #if FEATURE_HASH_SHA512_CREATE #if FIPS return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA512CryptoServiceProvider(); #else return System.Security.Cryptography.SHA512.Create(); #endif #elif FEATURE_HASH_SHA512_MANAGED return new System.Security.Cryptography.SHA512Managed(); #endif } — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or mute the thread.

[mclouden]

i dont expect it makes any sense. Unfortunately TriCare does. As do the various health exchanges

[Kim-SSi]

I also have the same problem at some sites. FIPS mode is enabled in Windows and therefore .NET. I would find it useful to be able to have one build that would allow altering the FIPS usage at runtime. This would allow greater SSH server support from a singe build. This could all be changed to make the FIPS define a variable. That might be a better approach. Or better yet detect it at runtime. Checking if MD5 works might be the best way. Don’t use it if is doesn’t work. Maybe a cached version of: public bool FIPSIsEnabled() { try { var sha1 = new SHA1Managed(); /* var md5 = System.Security.Cryptography.MD5.Create(); */ return false; } catch { // ignored } return true; } What are your thoughts? Regards, Kim

[dudeinco]

We had the same issue, and I have verified that version 2013.4.7.0 is FIPS compliant.

[Poonaka]

To get around the FIPS error you can disable the .NET algorithm check/exceptions. We added the following to our app.config:

<configuration> <runtime> <enforceFIPSPolicy enabled="false"/> </runtime> </configuration>

See https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/shawnfa/2008/03/14/disabling-the-fips-algorithm-check/

[grannypron]

To get around the FIPS error you can disable the .NET algorithm check/exceptions. We added the following to our app.config:

<configuration> <runtime> <enforceFIPSPolicy enabled="false"/> </runtime> </configuration>

See https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/shawnfa/2008/03/14/disabling-the-fips-algorithm-check/

Worked. Thx & much love.

[A9G-Data-Droid]

DoD STIGs do require FIPS mode:
https://www.stigviewer.com/stig/windows_10/2017-04-28/finding/V-63811

The FIPS standard evolves with time. FIPS 140-3 is the "modern" version:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIPS_140-3

SSH is a great example of a place where disabling FIPS algorithm checks would be a compliance violation. Do not disable these checks as a work-around in a controlled environment.

The solution provided by @mclouden is correct.

[jackchi29]

In public safety industry, FIPS compliant is critical.
Thanks @mclouden to provide a solution and @iamkrillin to create the Pull Request #806 based on it.
Hope the solution will get reviewed and merged soon.
Thanks!

[petcua1]

Really useful #806 for customers that require FIPS. Can this PR be merged?

[lifeincha0s]

It is the responsibility of the server to enforce FIPS, not the client. The client library is a generalized application that is intended to connect to a very broad set of remote server types. The server determines the protocols required for connections. If you refer to the DISA STIGs, as DoD-types like to do, you will notice that none of the checks talk about locking down client SSH applications. The name says how they should be implemented, Security Technical Implementation Guide. They are meant as a guide for how to lock down a system. Blindly applying the STIGs will break system functionality. The FIPS compliance that Microsoft enforces is a bad implementation since it was hand-jammed into .NET without regard for existing security mechanisms.

[A9G-Data-Droid]

@lifeincha0s If the server enforces it, the client must support it or the connection will fail. This is seen in #190 and #276.

Once PR #806 is merged all these issues can be closed.

[A9G-Data-Droid]

I can confirm that version 2023.0.0 can be run on a FIPS compliant system.

This issue can be closed.

[WojciechNagorski]

@A9G-Data-Droid Great! Big thanks for this information!