Canonical announced on Wednesday the availability of officially certified FIPS 140-2 cryptographic packages for the long-term supported Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus) operating system series through its Cryptographic Module Validation Program.

Level 1 FIPS 140-2 cryptographic packages can now be purchased for your Ubuntu 16.04 LTS operating system through Canonical's Ubuntu Advantage service or as a separate, standalone product. Ubuntu Advantage subscribers can already find the FIPS-compliant modules in the Ubuntu Advantage private archive if they use Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus) on their PCs.

North Point Defense's Alex Stuart states that they are using Ubuntu Linux, along with FIPS 140-2 validated software, to keep both their customers and developers happy, but also to minimize transition cost. The FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) modules also include a VPN (Virtual Private Network) solution that they plan to implement in their infrastructure, allowing devs to work remotely.

"We currently use Ubuntu Linux because of its superior development environment and frequent LTS releases. As a business that develops software, one of our customer’s requirements is to utilize FIPS 140-2 validated software," said Alex Stuart, North Point Defense. "We have been able to start rolling out the Ubuntu FIPS modules without needing to reinstall the operating system."

Ubuntu 16.04 LTS' key components are FIPS 140-2 compatible

According to Canonical, several key components of the Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus) operating system are compliant with the FIPS 140-2 level 1 standard, inviting customers interested in purchasing FIPS 140-2 compliant modules for their Ubuntu 16.04 LTS computers to visit the Ubuntu Advantage website or contact the Canonical Sales Team directly.

Ubuntu 16.04 LTS was released on April 21, 2016, and it's supported by Canonical with software updates and security patches for five years, until 2021. The latest point release, Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS, launched on August 3, 2017, with updated kernel and graphics stacks from Ubuntu 17.04 (Zesty Zapus) operating system. The next one is Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS, expected to hit the streets on February 15, 2018.