Description

This article provides guidance on how to enable FIPS mode in EX4400-48mp platform.

Symptoms

Configuring "set system fips level 1" on EX4400-48mp, commit error will appear:


"FIPS level 1 is not available, FIPS self-tests are missing"

Solution

The below article provides the process to enable FIPS on the EX4400-48MP platform. Please see page 28

 

 

 

Junos® OS FIPS Evaluated Configuration Guide for EX4300-48MP Device

 

 

 

Summary of the process:

 

 

 

1- Configure root authentication with password at least 10 characters or more. 

 

2- The fips-mode.tgz is an optional package needed for enabling FIPS. This package is part of Junos OS software. To enable this package, use below command: root@host>request system software add optional://fips-mode.tgz

 

 

 

3- Configure "set system fips level 1"

 

4- Reboot, >request system reboot at now

 

 

 

 

 

 I tested this using version 24.2R2-S2, please see the results below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

root@EX4400-48MP# delete

 

This will delete the entire configuration

 

Delete everything under this level? [yes,no] (no) yes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

root@EX4400-48MP# set system root-authentication plain-text-password

 

New password: Juniper123

 

Retype new password: Juniper123

 

 

 

 

 

root@EX4400-48MP# run request system software add optional://fips-mode.tgz

 

Verified fips-mode signed by PackageProductionECP256_2025 method ECDSA256+SHA256

 

 

 

 

 

{master:0}[edit]

 

root@EX4400-48MP# set system fips level 1

 

 

 

 

 

{master:0}[edit]

 

root@EX4400-48MP# commit

 

2025-09-23 14:58random: HMAC-DRBG with SHA2-512 chosen

 

sysctl_warn_reuse: can't re-use a leaf (kern.random.hmac-drbg.hash)!

 

:59.185137 PDT: Running FIPS Self-tests

 

2025-09-23 14:59:00.80924 PDT: FIPS Self-tests Passed

 

configuration check succeeds

 

[edit]

 

 'system'

 

 warning: reboot is required to transition to FIPS level 1

 

commit complete

 

 

 

{master:0}[edit]

 

root@EX4400-48MP# [edit]

 

 'system'

 

 warning: reboot is required to transition to FIPS level 1

 

 

 

 

 

root@EX4400-48MP# run request system reboot at now

 

Reboot the system at now? [yes,no] (no) yes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--- JUNOS 24.2R2-S2.5 Kernel 64-bit JNPR-15.0-20250529.06a42a7_buil

 

root@:RE:0%

 

root@:RE:0% cli

 

{master:0}

 

root:fips>

 

Modification History

2025-09-30 : Article Created