---
layout: docs
page_title: Deploy FIPS 140-2 compliant Consul servers
description: >-
  A version of Consul compliant with FIPS 140-2 is available to Enterprise users. Learn about where to find FIPS-compliant versions of Consul, as well as usage restrictions and technical details.
---

# Deploy FIPS 140-2 compliant Consul servers

Builds of Consul Enterprise marked with a `fips1402` feature name include built-in support for FIPS 140-2 compliance.

To use this feature, you must have an [active or trial license for Consul
Enterprise](/consul/docs/enterprise/license). To start a trial, contact
HashiCorp sales.

<EnterpriseAlert product="consul" />

## Using FIPS 140-2 Consul Enterprise

FIPS 140-2 builds of Consul Enterprise behave in the same way as non-FIPS builds. There are no restrictions on Consul algorithms, and ensuring that Consul remains in a FIPS-compliant mode of operation is your responsibility. To maintain FIPS-compliant operation, you must [ensure that TLS is enabled](/consul/docs/secure/encryption/tls/enable/new/builtin) so that communication is encrypted. Consul products surface some helpful warnings where settings are insecure.

Encryption is disabled in Consul Enterprise by default. As a result, Consul may transmit sensitive control plane information. You must ensure that gossip encryption and mTLS is enabled for all agents when running Consul with FIPS-compliant settings. In addition, be aware that TLSv1.3 does not work with FIPS 140-2, as HKDF is not a certified primitive.

HashiCorp is not a NIST-certified testing laboratory and can only provide general guidance about using Consul Enterprise in a FIPS-compliant manner. We recommend consulting an approved auditor for further information.

The FIPS 140-2 variant of Consul uses separate binaries that are available from the following sources:

- The [HashiCorp Releases page](https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul), releases ending with the `+ent.fips1402` suffix.
- The [Docker Hub `hashicorp/consul-enterprise-fips`](https://hub.docker.com/r/hashicorp/consul-enterprise-fips) container repository.
- The [AWS ECR `hashicorp/consul-enterprise-fips`](https://gallery.ecr.aws/hashicorp/consul-enterprise-fips) container repository.
- The [Red Hat Access `hashicorp/consul-enterprise-fips`](https://catalog.redhat.com/software/containers/hashicorp/consul-enterprise-fips/628d50e37ff70c66a88517ea) container repository.

The aforementioned naming conventions, which append `.fips1402` to binary names and tags, and `-fips` to registry names, also apply to `consul-k8s`, `consul-k8s-control-plane`, `consul-dataplane`, and `consul-ecs`, which are packaged separately from Consul Enterprise.

### Usage restrictions

When using Consul Enterprise with FIPS 140-2, be aware of the following operation restrictions.

#### Migration restrictions

We do not support in-place migrations from non-FIPS builds of Consul to FIPS builds of Consul, regardless of version. A fresh cluster installation is required to support FIPS 140-2. You cannot upgrade directly to a FIPS-compliant build.

#### TLS restrictions

Consul Enterprise's FIPS modifications include restrictions to supported TLS cipher suites and key information. Only the following cipher suites are allowed:

- `TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256`
- `TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384`
- `TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256`
- `TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384`
- `TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256`
- `TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384`

In addition, only the following key types are allowed in TLS chains of trust:

- RSA 2048, 3072, and 4096-bit
- ECDSA P-256, P-384, and P-521

Finally, only TLSv1.2 is supported in FIPS mode. These settings are in line with recent NIST guidance and FIPS requirements.

#### Heterogeneous cluster deployments

We do not support mixed deployment scenarios within the same Consul cluster. An example of an unsupported deployment scenario is one that mixes FIPS and non-FIPS Consul binaries. Nodes across the entire cluster must use a single binary or deployment type.

Running a heterogeneous cluster is not permitted by FIPS, as components of the system are not compliant with FIPS. Attempts to join non-FIPS and FIPS nodes or servers may fail.

### Envoy

To enable users to deploy a FIPS compliant service mesh with Consul, HashiCorp provides FIPS compliant versions of Envoy available for download. Contact Hashicorp sales for more information.

## Deployment prerequisites

Depending on your Consul runtime, there are additional requirements for using FIPS 140-2.

### VMs

If using Consul on VMs, you must use a FIPS compliant version of Envoy. Contact HashiCorp sales to learn how to obtain a FIPS compliant version of Envoy.

### consul-k8s and Helm

When deploying the FIPS builds of Consul on Kubernetes using `consul-k8s` or Helm, you must ensure that the Helm chart is updated to use FIPS builds of Consul Enterprise, Consul Dataplane, and Envoy images.

## Technical details

Consul's FIPS 140-2 Linux products use the BoringCrypto integration in the official Go 1.20+ toolchain, which include a FIPS-validated crypto module.

Consul's FIPS 140-2 products on Windows use the CNGCrypto integration in Microsoft's Go toolchain, which include a FIPS-validated crypto module.

To ensure your build of Consul Enterprise includes FIPS support, confirm that a line with `FIPS: Enabled` appears when you run a `version` command. For example, the following message appears for Linux users:

<CodeBlockConfig hideClipboard>

```log
FIPS: FIPS 140-2 Enabled, crypto module boringcrypto
```

</CodeBlockConfig>

The following message appears for Windows users:

<CodeBlockConfig hideClipboard>

```log
FIPS: FIPS 140-2 Enabled, crypto module cngcrypto
```

</CodeBlockConfig>

FIPS 140-2 Linux binaries depend on cgo, which require that a GNU C Library (glibc) Linux distribution be used to run Consul. Refer to [instructions for Windows FIPS mode](https://github.com/microsoft/go/blob/microsoft/main/eng/doc/fips/README.md#windows-fips-mode-cng) for more information on running CNGCrypto-enabled Go binaries in FIPS mode.

The NIST Cryptographic Module Validation Program certifications and accompanying security policies for BoringCrypto and CNG are available through the following external links:

- [BoringCrypto](https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/cryptographic-module-validation-program/certificate/4407)
- [CNG](https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/cryptographic-module-validation-program/certificate/4515)

### Validating FIPS crypto modules

To validate that a FIPS 140-2 Linux binary correctly includes BoringCrypto, run `go tool nm` on the binary to get a symbol dump.  On FIPS-enabled builds, many results appear, as in the following example.

```shell-session
$ go tool nm consul | grep -i goboringcrypto
4014d0 T _cgo_6880f0fbb71e_Cfunc__goboringcrypto_AES_cbc_encrypt
4014f0 T _cgo_6880f0fbb71e_Cfunc__goboringcrypto_AES_ctr128_encrypt
401520 T _cgo_6880f0fbb71e_Cfunc__goboringcrypto_AES_decrypt
401540 T _cgo_6880f0fbb71e_Cfunc__goboringcrypto_AES_encrypt
401560 T _cgo_6880f0fbb71e_Cfunc__goboringcrypto_AES_set_decrypt_key
```

Similarly, on a FIPS Windows binary, run `go tool nm` on the binary to get a symbol dump, and then search for `go-crypto-winnative`.

On both Linux and Windows non-FIPS builds, the search output yields no results.

## Leidos validation

In 2024, Leidos certified the integration of FIPS 140-2 cryptographic module [BoringCrypto Cert. #4407](https://csrc.nist.gov/Projects/Cryptographic-Module-Validation-Program/Certificate/4407) for the following Consul releases:

- Consul Enterprise builds:
  - [`consul_1.16.0+ent.fips1402`](https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul/1.16.0+ent.fips1402/)
  - [`consul_1.16.1+ent.fips1402`](https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul/1.16.1+ent.fips1402/)
- Consul Dataplane builds:
  - [`consul-dataplane_1.2.0+fips1402`](https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul-dataplane/1.2.0+fips1402/)
  - [`consul-dataplane_1.2.1+fips1402`](https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul-dataplane/1.2.1+fips1402/)
- Consul K8s builds:
  - [`consul-k8s_1.2.0+fips1402`](https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul-k8s/1.2.0+fips1402/)
  - [`consul-k8s_1.2.1+fips1402`](https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul-k8s/1.2.1+fips1402/)
- Consul K8s Control Plane builds:
  - [`consul-k8s-control-plane_1.2.0+fips1402`](https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul-k8s-control-plane/1.2.0+fips1402/)
  - [`consul-k8s-control-plane_1.2.1+fips1402`](https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul-k8s-control-plane/1.2.2+fips1402/)

For more information about verified platform architectures and confirmed feature
support, [review the Leidos certification
letter](https://www.datocms-assets.com/2885/1715791547-boringcrypto_compliance_letter_signed.pdf).
