OpenSSL FIPS support
====================
-This release does not support a FIPS 140-2 validated module.
+This release of OpenSSL includes a cryptographic module that can be
+FIPS 140-2 validated. The module is implemented as an OpenSSL provider.
+A provider is essentially a dynamically loadable module which implements
+cryptographic algorithms, see the [README-PROVIDERS](README-PROVIDERS.md) file
+for further details.
+
+A cryptographic module is only FIPS validated after it has gone through the complex
+FIPS 140 validation process. As this process takes a very long time, it is not
+possible to validate every minor release of OpenSSL.
+If you need a FIPS validated module then you must ONLY generate a FIPS provider
+using OpenSSL versions that have valid FIPS certificates. A FIPS certificate
+contains a link to a Security Policy, and you MUST follow the instructions
+in the Security Policy in order to be FIPS compliant.
+See <https://www.openssl.org/source/> for information related to OpenSSL
+FIPS certificates and Security Policies.
+
+Newer OpenSSL Releases that include security or bug fixes can be used to build
+all other components (such as the core API's, TLS and the default, base and
+legacy providers) without any restrictions, but the FIPS provider must be built
+as specified in the Security Policy (normally with a different version of the
+source code).
+
+The OpenSSL FIPS provider is a shared library called `fips.so` (on Unix), or
+resp. `fips.dll` (on Windows). The FIPS provider does not get built and
+installed automatically. To enable it, you need to configure OpenSSL using
+the `enable-fips` option.
+
+Installing the FIPS module
+==========================
+
+The following is only a guide.
+Please read the Security Policy for up to date installation instructions.
+
+If the FIPS provider is enabled, it gets installed automatically during the
+normal installation process. Simply follow the normal procedure (configure,
+make, make test, make install) as described in the [INSTALL](INSTALL.md) file.
+
+For example, on Unix the final command
+
+ $ make install
+
+effectively executes the following install targets
+
+ $ make install_sw
+ $ make install_ssldirs
+ $ make install_docs
+ $ make install_fips # for `enable-fips` only
+
+The `install_fips` make target can also be invoked explicitly to install
+the FIPS provider independently, without installing the rest of OpenSSL.
+
+The Installation of the FIPS provider consists of two steps. In the first step,
+the shared library is copied to its installed location, which by default is
+
+ /usr/local/lib/ossl-modules/fips.so on Unix, and
+ C:\Program Files\OpenSSL\lib\ossl-modules\fips.dll on Windows.
+
+In the second step, the `openssl fipsinstall` command is executed, which completes
+the installation by doing the following two things:
+
+- Runs the FIPS module self tests
+- Generates the so-called FIPS module configuration file containing information
+ about the module such as the self test status, and the module checksum.
+
+The FIPS module must have the self tests run, and the FIPS module config file
+output generated on every machine that it is to be used on. You must not copy
+the FIPS module config file output data from one machine to another.
+
+On Unix, the `openssl fipsinstall` command will be invoked as follows by default:
+
+ $ openssl fipsinstall -out /usr/local/ssl/fipsmodule.cnf -module /usr/local/lib/ossl-modules/fips.so
+
+If you configured OpenSSL to be installed to a different location, the paths will
+vary accordingly. In the rare case that you need to install the fipsmodule.cnf
+to non-standard location, you can execute the `openssl fipsinstall` command manually.
+
+Using the FIPS Module in applications
+=====================================
+
+Documentation about using the FIPS module is available on the [fips_module(7)]
+manual page.
+
+ [fips_module(7)]: https://www.openssl.org/docs/manmaster/man7/fips_module.html
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