Exiting FIPS mode

After you disable FIPS mode and reboot the device, the device operates in non-FIPS mode.

The system provides two methods to exit FIPS mode: automatic reboot and manual reboot.

Select the automatic reboot method. The system automatically creates a default non-FIPS configuration file named non-fips-startup.cfg, and specifies the file as the startup configuration file. The system reboots the device by using the default non-FIPS configuration file. After the reboot, you are directly logged into the device.

This method requires that you manually complete the configurations for entering non-FIPS mode, and then reboot the device. To log in to the device after the reboot, you must enter user information according to the authentication mode. The following default authentication modes are available for different ports or lines (you can modify the default mode as needed):

• The default authentication mode is password for VTY lines.

• The default authentication mode is none for a console port.

After you disable FIPS mode, follow these restrictions and guidelines before you manually reboot the device:

• If you are logged into the device through Telnet, perform the following tasks without exiting the current user line:

  • Set the authentication mode to scheme.

  • Configure the username and password. (You can also use the current username and password.)

• If you are logged into the device through a console port, configure one of the following authentication modes as needed:

  • Configure the password authentication mode and a password.

  • Configure the scheme authentication mode and configure a new username and password (you can also use the current username and password).

  • Configure the none authentication mode.

To disable FIPS mode: