FIPS Mode Reference

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Liferay DXP 2026.Q3+

This reference describes how features behave in FIPS mode. To turn FIPS mode on, see Enabling FIPS Mode.

Passwords

The BCRYPT and UFC-CRYPT algorithms are unavailable. Users whose stored passwords use either one must have their passwords reset before they can sign in. A stored SSHA hash created before FIPS mode was turned on doesn’t verify.

Stored MD5, SHA, and PBKDF2WithHmacSHA1 hashes verify while the SUN and SunJCE providers stay registered. Those providers aren’t FIPS validated, so verifying some of these hashes runs outside the FIPS provider. After a user with one of these hashes signs in, DXP rehashes the password with passwords.encryption.algorithm (see Migrating from an Existing Algorithm). To set that property for FIPS mode, see Algorithm Properties.

LDAP

Saving LDAP Settings

In FIPS mode, DXP refuses to save LDAP settings that don’t meet these requirements:

Field	Requirement	Message
Base Provider URL	Must use `ldaps://`	`The base provider URL "[URL]" must use the "ldaps://" scheme in FIPS mode.`
Password Encryption Algorithm	With the Password Compare authentication method, must be `SHA-256` or `SHA-384`	`The algorithm "[algorithm]" is not allowed in FIPS mode.`

DXP replaces the placeholders in these messages with the values you entered.

LDAP Connections

In FIPS mode, DXP connects only to LDAP servers whose Base Provider URL uses ldaps://. A connection to any other server, including one saved before FIPS mode was enabled, fails with URL protocol scheme is not allowed in FIPS mode.

LDAP connections use TLS 1.2 or 1.3 with these AES-GCM cipher suites:

TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384

SAML

In FIPS mode, the Create Certificate and Replace Certificate forms offer only RSA for the signing certificate’s key algorithm. For either certificate, Key Size (Bits) offers 2048, 3072, or 4096. An invalid choice shows Please enter a valid algorithm and key size.

Importing a certificate whose key isn’t an RSA key of at least 2048 bits fails with Only RSA keys with 2048 bits or more are allowed in FIPS mode.

OAuth2 and OpenID Connect

In FIPS mode, JSON web keys and signed tokens must meet these requirements:

Requirement	Allowed in FIPS Mode
JWS algorithms	`ES256`, `ES384`, `ES512`, `EdDSA`, `PS256`, `PS384`, `PS512`, `RS256`, `RS384`, and `RS512`
Key members	An `alg` from the JWS algorithms list, and a `kty` of `RSA`, `EC`, or `OKP`
RSA keys	2048 bits or more
EC curves	`P-256`, `P-384`, and `P-521`
OKP curves	`Ed25519` and `Ed448`

HMAC algorithms such as HS256 aren’t allowed.

Saving an OAuth2 application with a noncompliant JSON web key set fails with The JSON web key set is not FIPS compliant. The OAuth 2 Incoming Assertion Configuration refuses such a key set with a message that names the problem. The JWT bearer grant refuses a token whose algorithm isn’t on the allowed list.

Multi-Factor Authentication

Time-based one-time passwords use HMAC-SHA256 in FIPS mode. An authenticator app set up before FIPS mode was enabled generates HMAC-SHA1 codes, which don’t verify, so those users must set up time-based one-time passwords again.