ARST-ND-000470 - The Arista network device must use FIPS 140-2 approved algorithms for authentication to a cryptographic module.

Information

Unapproved mechanisms used for authentication to the cryptographic module are not validated and therefore cannot be relied upon to provide confidentiality or integrity, and DOD data may be compromised.

Network devices utilizing encryption are required to use FIPS-compliant mechanisms for authenticating to cryptographic modules.

FIPS 140-2 is the current standard for validating that mechanisms used to access cryptographic modules utilize authentication that meets DOD requirements. However, authentication algorithms must configure security processes to use only FIPS-approved and NIST-recommended authentication algorithms.

Solution

Configure the Arista network device to use FIPS 140-2 approved algorithms for authentication to a cryptographic module.

Step 1: Configure the Arista network device to ensure hardware or software entropy is enabled and FIPS restrictions are used in accordance with NIST-specified validated cryptographic requirements.

switch(config)#management security
switch(config-mgmt-security)#entropy source hardware
OR (only set one or the other, not both)
switch(config-mgmt-security)#entropy source haveged
!

Step 2: Configure the Arista network device to ensure the old RSA key pairs are zeroized and a new FIPS-approved hostkey is generated. It is extremely important to complete this step after hardware or software entropy is configured.

switch#reset ssh hostkey rsa
!
*IMPORTANT part of Step 2* Review the Arista network device configuration new key has been generated.

switch#show management ssh hostkey rsa public
ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABAQCz8vDiTWYcGuVrv04fwPj8YYBaHU+UFFl5zrFjeYiVl/dvswsiRSophF98aLjnRdJJ0NcjovjEEUnP0Q39UCoSYQRjrUzK2nzRMMD2IKxZyNhx9+/OT60lgh4M//kwxq0vMI1nk1pUO/wRaN1B4IzDizcyP9jY28bSdz8Y5TyLgrca6Ja4v99Io+lkHG0bj6X8s+VnBsFWMrlabw1s4bUPr9PzMfUHx9gLHCVR+DFZvPHMR4sSK14F949IJgOKsXj chassisAddr=84:73:cf:6f:6c:55

Step 3: Enable FIPS restrictions for SSH and so the device can only use FIPS-approved algorithms.

switch(config)management ssh
switch(config-mgmt-ssh)#fips restrictions

See Also

https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_Arista_MLS_EOS_4-2x_Y24M07_STIG.zip

Item Details

Category: IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION

References: 800-53|IA-7, CAT|I, CCI|CCI-000803, Rule-ID|SV-255955r961050_rule, STIG-ID|ARST-ND-000470, Vuln-ID|V-255955

Plugin: Arista

Control ID: 86b73b2f6214193469502a0760880fe11d6c9f0904c68dd8663cabf8487cfd35