WiFi failure on Intel wireless interfaces when running in FIPS mode due to Management Frame Protection (MFP) validation gap

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

When running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 in FIPS mode, Intel Wi-Fi adapters fail to establish or maintain wireless connections. Wireless interfaces managed by the iwlwifi driver are unusable when FIPS enforcement is active.

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.8 (or later)
  • Intel Wi-Fi adapters using the iwlwifi driver
  • FIPS mode enabled (fips=1)
  • Management Frame Protection (MFP / 802.11w) active

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