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FIPS Mode on Microsoft Windows

September 11, 2025 | By Grant Burns | Reading Time: < 1 minute

How do I enable FIPS mode on Microsoft Windows? Head on over to Group Policy (local or domain managed):

A screenshot of the local security policy showing how to enable FIPS mode on Microsoft Windows.
Enable FIPS Mode on Microsoft Windows

Perhaps you are looking to support CMMC Practice SC.L2-3.13.11 (NIST SP 800-171 r2 3.13.11). These requirements state that the implementer must employ FIPS-validated cryptography (140-2) when used to protect the confidentiality of CUI. This could mean local disk encryption, network communications, remote desktop protocol, and others. An understanding of your CUI flow is critical when determining the applicability of this practice.

This is the applicable setting on Windows systems. Be aware of considerations applying to BitLocker, RDS, and others.

What is FIPS 140? The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140 is a U.S. government standard that sets the minimum security requirements for cryptographic modules in information technology products. It ensures that hardware and software used for encryption meet specific security criteria before they can be used in government systems.

Additional Microsoft support resources:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/security-foundations/certification/fips-140-validation

https://learn.microsoft.com/zh-cn/archive/blogs/askcore/how-to-make-your-existing-bitlocker-encrypted-environment-fips-complaint

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