IT29868: Allow MQ AMS applications to use GSKit in non-FIPS mode

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• A user might need to run their AMS applications while accessing
  GSKit encrypt/decrypt functionality in non-FIPS mode.  This
  setting must be made very early in the life of the application,
  via an environment variable.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  USERS AFFECTED:
  Users of AMS functionality who want to run the GSKit code in
  non-FIPS mode.
  
  
  Platforms affected:
  AIX
  
  ****************************************************************
  PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
  A user had no documented way of running their AMS applications
  while accessing GSKit encrypt/decrypt functionality in non-FIPS
  mode.  Therefore by default all users will run in FIPS mode.
  This is ok for most users, but occasionally there is a need to
  run in non-FIPS mode.  An example of such a case is when the
  non-FIPS code contains a bug fix that has not yet been
  FIPS-certified.
  

Problem conclusion

• A check has been added to the MQ library code that runs within
  the customer's application program.  The new check runs early in
  its initialisation to read the value of the environment variable
  AMQ_AMS_FIPS_OFF and if it is set to any value, then the GSKit
  code will be run in non-FIPS mode in that application.
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  The fix is targeted for delivery in the following PTFs:
  
  Version    Maintenance Level
  v9.0 LTS   9.0.0.8
  v9.1 CD    9.1.4
  v9.1 LTS   9.1.0.4
  
  The latest available maintenance can be obtained from
  'WebSphere MQ Recommended Fixes'
  http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=171&uid=swg27006037
  
  If the maintenance level is not yet available information on
  its planned availability can be found in 'WebSphere MQ
  Planned Maintenance Release Dates'
  http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=171&uid=swg27006309
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  IBM MQ BASE M/P

• Fixed component ID

  5724H7261

Applicable component levels