title: ASP.NET 2.0 RijndaelManaged encryption algorithm vs. FIPS
body: <p>I'm running into an issue with an ASP.NET 2.0 application.  Our network folks just upped our security, and now I get the floowing error whenever I try to access the app:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>"This implementation is not part of the Windows Platform FIPS validated cryptographic algorithms."</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I've done a little research, and it sounds like ASP.NET uses the RijndaelManaged AES encryption algorithm to encrypt the ViewState of pages... and RijndaelManaged is on the list of algorithms that aren't FIPS compliant. We're certainly not explicitly calling <em>any</em> encryption algorithm... much less anything on the non-compliant list. </p>
  
  <p>This ViewState business makes sense to me, I guess.  The thing I can't muddle out, though, is what to do about it.  I've found a <a href="http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911722" rel="noreferrer">KB article</a> that suggests using a web.config setting to specify a different algorithm... but either that didn't stick, or that algorithm isn't up to snuff, either.</p>
  
  <p>So: </p>
  
  <p>1) Is the RijndaelManaged / ViewState thing actually the problem?  Or am I barking up the wrong tree?</p>
  
  <p>2) How to I specify what algorithm to use instead of RijndaelManaged?  I've got a list of algorithms that are and aren't compliant; I'm just not sure where to plug that information in.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks!</p>
  
  <p>Richard</p>