Call for testing: OpenSSH-5.7

[Steve Marquess]

Jan Pechanec wrote:
> ...
>>
>> 1) We should really avoid CTR mode entirely, it's not FIPS approved and the
>> validated CBC can be used instead.
>>     
>
> 	hi Steve, are you talking about FIPS certified OpenSSL or about 
> the mode as such? I know that OpenSSL does not support AES CTR in EVP 
> (not until 1.0.1, I saw a commit there) but FIPS-140-2 Annex A 
> references 800-38A which lists CTR mode as one of the allowed modes. So, 
> I assumed AES CTR was allowed in FIPS-140-2 and that it just can't be 
> used in FIPS-140-2 mode in OpenSSH since OpenSSH partially implements 
> the mode by itself.
>   

Well, use of CTR is arguably legal but IMHO questionable.  AES-CTR is 
not included in the #1051 validation (see 
http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/STM/cavp/documents/aes/aesval.html#695), and 
there is no compelling reason to use it (with or without FIPS 140-2).

-Steve M.

-- 
Steve Marquess
The OpenSSL Software Foundation, Inc.
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