Explain this sandbox for inquiring minds

SANDBOX httpd/branches/fips-dev explained:

This sandbox is for development around the FIPS 140-2 standard as implemented

by Ben Laurie and team of OpenSSL with the 0.9.7 verisons.  The effort for

OpenSSL FIPS certification is coordinated by the Open Source Software

Institute.  OpenSSL 0.9.7 is in the process of certification testing.  See:

  http://oss-institute.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=109

The crypto layer, itself, is the object of certification.  In this case,

that is encompased in libcrypto.so.  But libcrypto.so needs to be told to

enforce FIPS 140 policy, and mod_ssl needs to be adjusted to the FIPS 140

subset of permitted cryptography.

This effort is initially coordinated by Ben Laurie and Will Rowe; of course

all voulenteers and feedback are welcome!

It is something of the cart before the horse; meant to demonstrate both the

need for the NIST to certify OpenSSL, and the proper application of a fips

build of the OpenSSL library.

Note this branch includes apr and apr-util, while the authors figure out what

to do about apr MD5 and other fips issues are resolved.  That work will be

submitted to the apr project, once the least distruptive change is ascertained.